Igniting The Flame
by herfathersbow
Summary: Peeta Mellark is a firefighter who has a accident while making a rescue. When he meets his physical therapist,things start to get interesting. Rated for future content.
1. Chapter 1

I woke up from my uncomfortable nap with the sound the siren booming against my ears. Taking it was a bad decision in the first place, the bed, if I could even call it that, was rock solid and made my back hurt. I knew I would have ended up more tired than I did before but I just couldn't resist closing my eyes and resting for a while.

Luckily, I didn't undress from the uniform like most of people do when taking naps in the firehouse. All I had to do to get to work is put on my boots and heavy protection gear. In these 8 months since I started working as a firefighter I still hadn't manage to get used to how heavy and hot the gear was. But it's a way better offer than suffering from severe burns or broken limbs.

I ran to meet up Haymitch, who was the main commander here in the District 12 Firehouse station. He barely did any field work anymore, he mostly hanged around making sure everything worked correctly and managing the practice drills. Although when he did go outside I feared he might do more harm than good, because the his breath smells like booze all of the time, and he probably shouldn't be around fires. But I can understand why he drinks so much, the many years he has working as a firefighter has made him see ugly things that can't be erased from your mind so easily.

"Haymitch what's the emergency?" I asked while fixing my helmet over my head.

"Apparently some dumb kids were getting drunk and smoking in an abandoned warehouse and forgot that they were surrounded by paper and textile. Long story short, it's on fire."

"Is anyone still inside?"

"From what we know so far, no. It looks like a simple situation, the fire didn't spread to the back of the warehouse or the shops next to it, but if we don't get there soon the fire will spread and building will collapse. So the strategy is to put out the out the fire as fast as possible and make sure no one is inside. You got that?" he asked eyeing me with the serious expression he only had when he wanted to make a point.

"Yes sir."

I left Haymitch without another word and directed myself to the entry on the firehouse. Two fire trucks were waiting outside. Everyone is packed and ready and standing next to the trucks. When I got to my truck I noticed that someone was missing. Cato. Like always.

"Where is Cato?" I asked just in time to see him leaving the door while adjusting his pants. "Cato were you in there with Clove again?!"

Clove was one of the only female firefighters we had here in District 12 and one of the slutiest women I ever met. Although she worked hard and was better than half the men here.

"You know it Peet" he said winking at me.

"For heavens sake Cato do that somewhere else! Now get you shit together and lets go." I said bitterly. He opened his mouth so say something in reply but when he saw Haymitch coming outside, he shut right up.

"What are y'all still doing here? GO!" he growled.

He didn't need to say that twice. Everyone rushed inside the trucks while these roared to life. Within seconds both trucks were on the road heading to the burning warehouse. I could hear Cato bragging about his alone time with Clove and it was pissing me off. Every time they were both on duty it was the same damn thing. The only reason he didn't get fired yet is because we were understaffed.

Like everyone who worked in the firehouse I was fed up with it.

"Man, I swear Clove is so–"

"Cato shut up! This is not the time." Thresh snapped from his place behind the stirring wheel. Before anyone could say anything else we saw it. In the end of the street, the bright orange color illuminating everything. I heard the crackling fire accompanied by screams of panic.

I jumped from the truck and headed over to the parked ambulance. I saw three teenagers wrapped up in blankets inside it. They all looked at me with faces of relief and fear.

"Are you all okay?" I asked sizing them over, they didn't look older than 16. _What on earth were they thinking?_

"I… We didn't mean…" the chubby blond girl started sobbing and trying to talk to me at the same time, which only resulted in confusion, I turn to the boy who sat next to her.

"Are you all okay?" I asked again hopping for a better answer.

"Yes. We're okay." He said. The chubby girl looked up from her sobbing fit and glared at the boy with a terrified look.

"No we are not! How can you say that? We don't know where Kelly is! She can still be inside! Oh my God, what have we done!" she begun sobbing once more.

"Wait, there is someone inside?"I asked.

"I… we don't know. Kelly was with us before the fire started, but then she said he has to go do something and we didn't see her since. She might have come outside to get some air. We don't know." The boy murmured while staring down at his hands.

"If she in there we will find her. Now calm down and take care of you friend. And don't ever, _ever _pull something like this again. Got it?"

"Yes sir." He said. "Please find her."

I left them and headed over to the front of the warehouse were Thresh and the crew already started to put out the fire. The entry has already been put out, but if there is someone inside they won't last until it was all extinguished. Someone had to go in. And that someone was me.

"Thom!" I call after Thom who is one of the few who were not dealing with the hoses.

"Yeah?" he says while grabbing a ladder from the side of the truck. "I think I might be better to climb this and use the high pressure hose the get the water to the second floor faster" he said.

"Yeah that's a good idea. But listen, I think there is someone inside. So I'm going to go inside to be sure it's clear."

"And you are going in there alone? That's crazy Peeta!"

"No it is not. We need as many people as possible out here handling the fire and making sure it doesn't spread. I'm going in. It will be fine." I answered in a calm tone.

"No way, I'm going with you." He declared.

"No. You are not. You are going to stay here and do what you are meant to do, which is climbing that ladder and hosing the second floor. And I will go inside. Simple."

"Dude. You can't just…ugh. Fine. Have it your way you insane bastard."

"Alright then." I said giving him a wry smile.

I go to the truck and grabbed a hammer just in case I needed to break my way through anything. Pulling my mask down and adjusting my hat I headed over to the entrance of the burning warehouse.


	2. Chapter 2

The moment I step foot inside the heat engulfed me in its warmth. The fire danced across the wide space, licking walls and creating a thick layer of black smoke that hung in the air. I could already feel my hands starting to sweat from inside my gloves and sweat rolling down my back. Even with all the protection I had on I could feel the flames touching my skin.

I knew I had to move fast in order to find her alive, if, she was in fact still here that is. If she managed to stay awake until now it wouldn't take long until all the oxygen ran out and she passed out.

So far, there are no signs of anyone being down here. Pausing for a second in a clear path with no surrounding fire, I silenced myself to see if I could hear anything other than the crackling of the fire. And just as I started to move I did. A faint screaming coming from the second floor. I froze and listened closely again.

"HELP" the voice screamed "I'M HERE! PLEASE HELP"

"It's okay! I'm coming, don't worry! Try to remain calm!" I shouted back.

I looked around for the stairs hoping that it was still intact. And thankfully it was. I jogged to it using the small fire extinguisher that I brought with me to put down the flames that lead up to the stairs. I climbed it quickly but steadily, not trusting the structure of it very much. Just as I reached the top I heard the sound of shattering glass.

The smoke up here was much denser and the flames reached much higher. I needed to find the girl fast, before the fire consumed all the oxygen in the room, and buy the looks of it, it shouldn't take long.

"Where are you?!" I asked squinting too see beyond the smoke. Nothing so far.

"HERE!" she screamed "In the left corner! Please help me!"

I turned around in my heels and see her across the dancing fire; her features illuminated making her look more childlike than she probably was. I was not far from her but there was a big half burned rusty couch standing in the way, and it was the easiest way to get to her I could think of right now.

I remembered my dad telling me when I was a kid that whenever I was in a though situation and had to make fast decisions, to always follow my gut. And right now my gut told me this was the way. So I extinguished the parts of the couch that were burning and jumped over it. Relieved to see that the couch was a form of barrier that prevented the fire to reach the space behind it, making the task of taking the girl safely to the stairs way easier.

When I got to her she was curled up in a ball in the corner of the room wrapped around a dirty looking blanket that she most likely found somewhere in the warehouse. When she saw me she looked up at me with bloodshot eyes and tears streaming down her face, much like her friend in the ambulance.

"Are you okay? Did you get hurt?" I asked in a calm tone, not wanting to startle her.

"Yes…" she choked down a sob before continuing, wrapping the blanket tighter around herself. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen, I just… Please take me out of here. Please" she managed to say before sobbing again.

"You will be alright. Don't worry about a thing."

"I know what I did was stupid" she cried "but I don't want to die."

"Hey. Hey, you are not going to die okay? I won't let that happen."

"I'm just so scared…" she hugged my middle and tried to calm herself down, failing miserably.

"Don't be. I promise. Your friends told me your name is Kelly. Is that right?" I asked.

"Y-yes." She mumbled.

"Okay." I smiled "I'm Peeta. And I promise you will live a long and happy life with lots of time to get drunk with your friends. Just maybe wait a few more years yeah?" I joked. Earning a chuckle from her.

"Can we go now?" she asked meekly.

"Yes. Let's leave. It will be alright okay?" I assured her "Do you feel dizzy or tired?"

"Just a little, but I'm okay."

"Okay then. Let's get you out of here."

I wrapped the blanked tighter around her and shielded her from the flames with my arms. We steadily made our way to the stairs and I was about to go down when it collapsed. It hit the floor and caused dust and debris to fly everywhere; I pushed her flat against my chest in order to protect her from getting hit with anything.

_Shit. _I thought. _Another way out, c'mon think. Something. C'mon. _

"Peeta?" She asked.

"Yes?"

"I'm starting to feel tired." She said, her eyes starting to get low.

Shit. She is starting to get deoxygenized. We had to leave. Fast.

"Here, have this." I said handing her my mask. Probably not the best idea but I needed her to stay awake.

"You sure? What about you?"

"I will be fine. Don't worry about me. I'm tough" I joked.

I adjusted the mask on her and saw that she started to wake up a little. My lungs on the other hand, felt the loss of it.

I saw a door to my right and it seemed promising, so I grabbed the hammer I had on my belt and went towards it. I directed Kelly to stay next to the rusty couch and give her the fire extinguisher. I walked in the direction of the door, hammered the lock and kicked it. It sprung open revealing an empty room, mostly free of any flames and with a window.

_A window!_

On my way back to go get Kelly a large chunk of concrete fell from the ceiling and landed on my leg. The pain was immediate. I could feel something was definitely not right but I had no time to mule over it. My priority was getting Kelly out here. The fire was getting more and more fierce and I know we couldn't  
>stay here much longer. If things are falling from the ceiling, the building must be getting weak.<p>

As I try to get up I shriek in pain. It irradiates from my knee, to my calf and my thigh. Every small moment I made sent new waves of pain trough my leg. I started standing with the help of my hands and rested my weight on my left leg. I looked over at Kelly who looked more terrified than when I found her.

"I'm fine." I lied, giving her a fake smile. I sure hoped she believes me. Everyone always told me I was a good liar. This is one of the few moments I wish that was true.

She nodded her head up and down and come to stand next to me. I told her to go to the room and that I will be right behind her. Well that was actually true, I couldn't outrun, or walk for that matter, anyone right now.

I breathed in deeply and started walking, trying to put as less weight in my right leg as I could. Left, right, pain. I gritted my teeth and repeated the process. By the time I get to the room tears had found their way to my eyes and the room was spinning so much I needed to grab the wall for leverage. But that could also be from the lack of oxygen. Or maybe the combination of both. Who knows?

I looked at Kelly again who eyed at me with a dubious look. I smiled as a way to assure her, but I knew it must be looking more like a hungry wolf right now. She smiled back and raised her hands in a way to ask _"Now what?"_

I shuffled in the pocket of my pants for my walkie-talkie, which I probably should have used to keep in contact with the guys outside to begin with, but what's the point anyway. Before I turned it on I took a deep breath to steady myself.

"Thom? Thresh?" I asked.

"Peet!" Said Thresh. "Thank heavens. Are you alright ? Did you find her?"

"Yes, she is okay. I-" I stopped short as the room started to spin again and I couldn't quite catch my breath.

"Peeta?" Kelly come by my side and steadied me.

I nodded at her and continued. "Thresh, I found her, we are both okay. The stairs collapsed and we can't go down. I need to you to bring a ladder in the window I'm going to break right now okay?"

"Okay." He said "CATO! Get the ladder and pay attention to the windows on the second floor!" he yelled, probably forgetting to turn the walkie-talkie of.

I get my hammer again and slowly and painfully, make my way to the window and break it. The fresh air hit me and made my lungs jump in appreciation. Kelly poked her head out the window and took the mask off.

Soon enough I heard the boys just under the window and saw the ladder poking its way inside.

Kelly laughed in joy, and I smiled. These moments were why I choose this job. The moments when fear and desperation turned to hope.

"Go ahead" I encouraged her.

She simply nodded and made her way down the ladder.

I hear the growls the structures of the building were making and it turned my stomach around. I needed to leave here as fast as now.

I looked out the window and saw that Kelly was already making her way to the ambulance with Thom's help so I started going down. The first step I made with my right leg made me see stars. It was excruciating and I could barely keep myself steady.

Shaking my head I continue descending. Each step I took knocking the breath out of me. About halfway there my leg missed the step and I had no strength left to hold on so I just let go.

I hit the ground back first. Every ounce of air escaping my body and leaving me breathless. The pain in my leg got overshadowed by the throbbing in my brain. I heard voices yelling but I couldn't quite make out what they said. Staring up at the sky I saw the contrast between the bright fire and the dark sky. And I thought to myself how great would it be to have a chance to paint that.

Then everything went black.

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><p><strong>I'd like to thank everyone who followed to story and found a time to leave a review!<br>****I'm very excited about it and I hope you enjoy it so far.**

**I will try to update once a week or once every two weeks, whatever floats my goat. Either way thank you once again!**

**And don't worry, Peeta will be just fine ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

The first thing I noticed when I regained conscience was an incessant beeping. I slowly opened my eyes and was taken aback by the brightness. I closed my eyelids shut to try and stop them from burning. My head started throbbing and pain hit my temples. Shaking my head slightly I opened my eyes once more.

I struggled to focus on everything that surrounds me, but slowly it all become clear. White walls, a small television hanging from the ceiling, wide windows, a door to the left that was probably a bathroom,five different flowers vases, some balloons, and a teddy bear. I looked around to see if there is anyone nearby, but found only a sterile white room looking back at me.

I felt pain shooting at my temples again, and this time I raised my hands to my head to rub them. It eased out some of the pain but not enough. My mouth felt stale and dry and I tried my best to speak but nothing come out. The pain in my temples got worse and I couldn't control the growl that escaped me. Soon enough I heard footsteps approach.

A petite looking woman entered the room in simple white scrubs that made a contrast with her dark skin. She smiled softly at me and reached behind my head to pull the top of to bed up, making me shift to a siting position.

"Good. You are awake" she said smiling "My name is Rue, and I'm your nurse. How do you feel?"

I coughed trying to clear my throat to speak but it only made it hurt. I tried to make signals with my hands that could somehow indicate that I wanted water.  
>Understanding my weird gestures, she handed me a cup with a straw from the bedside table I neglected to notice earlier. The cold liquid slid down my throat easing the slight irritation I felt.<p>

"Better?" she asked in a voice you would use to speak to a child.

I cleared my throat one more time and tried to speak. It come out low and weird, making me sound like an old man, but at least it was something.

"What happened?" I asked.

"I think it's better if I call the doctor to explain it to you, okay?"

No. It is not okay. Because if everything was okay there wouldn't be any need to call a doctor. I simply nodded.

"Is there anything else you need?"

"I hav-" my voice cracked and I paused a second to clear my throat once more. "My head hurts."

"Okay." She smiled and pressed a button near the headboard of the bed "This will ease the pain, but you will feel a little drowsy alright?"

I nodded.

I could feel the medicine, or whatever it is she gave me starting to work. The pain temples subsided and my head didn't throb anymore. My vision started to get a little fuzzy and my eyes started to feel heavy.

Rue left me alone, probably going to get the doctor.

I laid back on the headboard of the bed to sit up straighter but I felt a sharp pain in my right leg. I didn't think much of it, mostly because my mind was starting to drift of a little. I closed my eyes and took in the sun light that streamed from the wide windows. I was just about to fall asleep when I heard foot steps approaching, a little louder this time.

Opening my eyes I saw a man entering the room. He greeted me with a warm smile stood at the end of the bed checking some papers. He wore a blue colored scrubs with a white coat on top that went until his knees.

"Hi Peeta, I'm Cinna, your doctor." He stated. "I'm here to put you to part with what's going on. Do you remember what happened?"

I searched in my brain for memories of why I was here and why I felt like crap. It took me a while, mostly because of the medicine Rue gave me, but then it hit me.

"I was doing a rescue, and something fell on my knee and I passed out." Memories of that night come fleeting back to my mind in such a hurry that it made the room spin for a second. I shut my eyes closed and tried to make it stop. After a while my head stopped spinning and I opened my eyes. Cinna was still in the same place, his brown eyes looking warmly at me.

"Yes, that's right." He said using the same tone Rue did "Do you know why you passed out?"

I remember falling down the ladder, the pain in my leg, not being able to breathe. "No." I said.

"You were deoxygenized, which is understandable considering were you were. But you fell on your back, which caused you lungs to stop for a few seconds, and adding that to pain in your leg, your body shut down as a way of handling the situation." He said simply, as if it was no big deal.

I looked down and saw that my right leg had a cast around the knee.

"What happened to my leg?"

"Well, as you stated before something feel on your knee. That something was something very heavy and it caused your patella to fracture. And-"

"My what?" I interrupted him.

"Yes, sorry. The patella is that round bone you have on your knee. And what caused the fracture was the impact that the something that fell on your knee had. You were sleep induced for a few days so we could reduce the swelling and pain you might feel."

"But is my leg gonna be okay?"

"Most likely yes. But I'm not the best person to discuss the subject with you because that is not my speciality. Unfortunately the doctor who is going to treat you is on a lunch break right now. I will tell her to come and see you when she gets back. Now Peeta, is there anything you'd like to ask?"

"No, um, thank you."

"Alright, Rue is right down the hall in nurse's station; if you need her just press that button on the right side of the bed. Try and get some rest."

He left closing the door behind him, walking in the same serene way he did when he come in and I was alone once again. As what Cinna told me slowly started to sink, in I began to freak out.

_What if I can't walk anymore?! What am I going to do with my life? Firefighters need to walk, they need to run and carry heavy things. Hell, they need to carry other people. How can I do that if I can't walk! _

My heart started to beat faster and faster in my chest. The beeps the machine made got more frantic. My lungs struggled to get the air that just wasn't enough. I balled the sheets of the bed trying get a hold on reality. Closing my eyes shut I breathed deeply a couple of times but nothing worked. I just panicked more and more.

I heard the door opening and opened my eyes to see Rue rushing in. She looked at me wide eyed as she rushed to my side.

"I… Can't… Breath…" I said in between my desperate gasps for air.

Her scared look quickly turned to one of understanding. She reached in the pockets of her with scrubs for syringe and then to a little glass bottle in the drawer of the bedside table. She quickly pinched the syringe on top of the bottle and filled it with the transparent liquid. She injected whatever that was in my arm.

She made the bed go back to its original position, making me lay flat. I could feel myself start to get calmer, the air filling my lungs more easily, my heart slowing down. I looked up at her as my eyes started to close on their own accord.

"It's alright Peeta, sleep." She said while pushing my hair out of my forehead gently.

It felt good so I close my eyes completely and started to drift of as she gently caressed my head.

"It's going to be alright." Rue whispered.

I rose from my slumber what looked like a few hours later. The sun was just starting to set, leaving the room with an orange glow. I felt better. Nothing hurt, as long as I didn't move my leg. But right now, I really needed to go to bathroom. How I was going to do that,I don't know.

I decided that it would be best if I called Rue. Although I felt slightly ashamed about what happened earlier. But then again she was a nurse, she probably saw way worse. I reached over to press to the button that Cinna pointed to me earlier and waited.

Rue arrived a few minutes later, entering the room so silently I wasn't sure she was actually there or I was just imagining it.

"Hey there. Feeling better?" she asked softly.

"Yeah. Thank you. For, um, what you did earlier. Um, how did you know what I had ?"

"I have seen my fair share of panic attacks." She chuckled "All I did was give you a little something for you to relax. No need to thank me, it's my job." She smiled. "What can I do for you?"

I realized just then that not only was Rue a genuinely nice person, she actually cared for what she did. She liked helping people. I felt like I won the nurse lottery.

"Thank you nonetheless Rue. I, um, need to go to the bathroom… How do I, you know, walk?"

"Right" laughing she reached for something behind the bathroom door and presented to me a pair of crutches "Ta daa!" she said enthusiastically.

"Really?"

"Either this or a wheelchair, your choice."

"All right, all right. Just don't laugh if I fall on my ass, please." I joked

"Promise."

She handed me crutches while I swung my legs over to the side of the bed. My right leg hurt with any slight movement and I tried my best not to let it show. I probably failed miserably though.

With one crutch on either side on me I position them on the floor and stood using only my left leg and my arms. I tried to take a step. Then another. Apart from the slight pain in my right leg everything seemed fine. Well, that was until I accidentally hit my thigh against the side of the bed.

"Shit!" I hissed.

Rue come to stand beside me to try and help but I just shrug her off. If had to walk with these, I had to do it on my own. I clumsily made way to the bathroom door looking over at Rue with prideful expression. She smiled brightly and gave me thumbs up.

I closed the door and made my way to the sink. The face that stared back at me when I looked in the mirror looked nothing like me. I was more pale than I ever remember being, my eyes looked hollow and had bags under them and my hair was huge blond mess over my head. To be honest here, I looked like shit.

I left the crutches standing against the sink and stood only using my left leg. I washed my face with fresh water and ran my hands trough my hair. I then started to hear two different voices outside the door and I hurried up to see who it was.

When I opened the door I saw Rue talking to another woman. She has her back facing me and wore similar clothes to Cinna's.

As I made my way into the room she turned around, her braid whipping her face a little. Her face was clean and young. She looked to be my age. Her skin was tanned, which make a breath taking contrast with her silver eyes. The orange light that come from the window kissed her face making her look even more beautiful than she already was. When she looked at me she gave me an easy smile and my insides turned into knots.

"Hi Peeta" she said "My name is Katniss and will be your physical therapist."

* * *

><p><strong>I'd like to thank everyone who read, favoritedfollowed and left a review. The response to the story so far has been great and I couldn't be happier! I'd like to thank ****Gabby(peetaseverdeen) for always helping me and having patience with my stupid rants.  
><strong>**Katniss will be pretty present for now on, and there will probably be some chapter from her POV as well.  
><strong>**If you have any doubts or just wanna talk find me on tumblr herfathersbow. Come say hi!**

**PS:Hi Bia.**


	4. Chapter 4

I have never seen anyone as truly beautiful as her. Her skin was clean, natural and glowed in the afternoon sun.

She put to shame girls like Glimmer, who covered their faces with makeup in hopes to look pretty. Or girls who dressed in the tinniest clothes possible, even in the coldest weather, like Clove.

I don't know how she did it, but she managed to make hospital scrubs look sexy. But then again, I think she could be wearing a plastic bag and still look good. I couldn't quite understand what it was, but there was something about her that was deeply attractive. It made my gut twist and my cheeks burn.

She looked at me with an expectant look as if she was waiting for something, and it's only then that I realized that I was just standing there, staring at her, like some kind of creep.

"Um, hi." I said meekly.

My arms started to quake from having to make too much effort so I slowly make my way back to the bed. I felt my face starting to get hot and I looked up to see her watching me intently, her brow furrowed.

"How do you feel?" she asked.

Why is it that everyone kept asking me that? How was I supposed to be feeling after being told I may not be able to do my job? You can't expect me to be fine after that.

"Like crap" I deadpanned.

She snorted and chuckled lightly before composing herself. "Well that is understandable" she said while trying to hide her smirk "I take it that Cinna told you what happened to your knee?"

"Yes he did, um, but he said he couldn't tell me much because that wasn't his specialty, and that, um, you would explain it better." She nodded and checked the papers in her hand, a faint smile still on her lips. I look at the bathroom door and cringed. I still looked like shit, was that why she couldn't stop smiling? Did I look that bad that it caused her to laugh?

"So Peeta," she started "What you have is a stable fracture. This type of fracture is nondisplaced which means that the broken ends of your bone meet up perfectly and are correctly aligned." She paused so I could take it in. I nodded. "You won't need to have surgery, although you will have to wear that cast so we can keep your knee straight. That will keep the broken ends in the correct position until they heal." She paused again. I looked at my knee, and the white cast surrounding it. All that she said until now didn't sound that bad. Maybe it would all be okay after all.

"You will not be able to put any weight on your leg until the bone is _completely _healed. That should take from six to eight weeks, maybe more. And during this time you will have to use the crutches to walk around."

"Um, but will I be able to walk around normally once it's healed?" I asked.

"It depends on a lot of things Peeta." She gave me a sad smile. "There is no way to tell for sure. But I will work my best so that happens. Though there will have to be a lot of hard work from your part. The process of rehabilitation is not easy. It can, and will be frustrating at times."

"I understand." I did, I just didn't like it one bit. "And when does rehabilitation start?"

"I'd like to meet up next week so we can go over details and see how your knee started to heal. Does that sound good?"

_Anything with you would sound good to be honest. _

No. Shut up Peeta. Focus on your leg damn it. She is your doctor, and you need to respect that. Even if she is one of the best looking doctors ever. Why couldn't I have ended up with some bald guy who smelled like vicodin?

My cheeks started to burn again. And I could feel my face warming up, the heat spreading until my neck. I just hoped I didn't get red as well. But who am I kidding? By the paleness that my skin is in right now I must be looking like a tomato.

"Yeah, I guess."

"Alright then." She smiled "I'm going to leave you know, best not to overwhelm you with medical stuff. Cinna will be here tomorrow to talk to you about when you get to go home and all of that. If you need anything just ask Rue here." She pointed at Rue who was leaning against the wall fiddling with the teddy bear. I completely forgot she was in the room. "I'll see you next week. Bye Peeta"

"Bye" I looked at my hands and smirked.

She smiled warmly at me then turned around and headed for the door. About halfway there stopped abruptly and spun around on her heals.

"Oh! I almost forgot! Obviously you can do too much effort, at least in the first weeks. You need to rest your body so it has strength for when we start the actual treatment. So if you could have someone with you when you're home to stay there and help you around that would be best. Mostly because you will struggle a little in beginning with the crutches and everything"

Great, now I needed someone to babysit me. Things just got better and better. What next? Diapers?

"Okay. But in the rehabilitation process, will you help with exercises for my dignity?" I joked.

She chuckled loudly, her shoulders shaking with laughter. Her laugh was so beautiful and joyful, I couldn't help but laugh with her.

"Ah, men and their dignity." She quipped. "You will be fine. See you next week."

And with that she headed towards the door again and disappeared seconds later. I couldn't help but smile to myself at the thought of seeing her again. If what I had ahead of me was as frustrating and difficult as she said, I didn't mind having someone as great as Katniss as my doctor.

I heard someone clearing their throat and snapped my attention towards Rue who was smiling smugly at me. She wiggled her eyebrows and nodded in the direction of the door.

"What." I asked.

"Oh nothing…" she said. She settled the teddy bear in the nightstand where it was before and come to the side of the bed. Her smile never leaving her face.

"What!" I snapped.

"You like her." She said simply.

"What? _No._ She is my doctor nothing more."

"Sure." She winked "By the way there is someone named Finnick here to see you. Should I let him in?"

She didn't even have time to finish her sentence and he was already walking through the door. A bright smiled on his face.

"Hey there Peet, how have you been?" he plumped down on my bed, lightly touching my leg, but even so, it made me hiss.

"Finnick look at me, how do you think I am?" I deadpanned.

"Damn Peet. What changed you?" he chuckled "Oh man, I saw the hottest chick walking down the hallway on my way here, she wore like doctor scrubs and had this braid I would like to pull while she-"

"Finnick!" I stopped him looking pointedly at Rue who still stood next to my bed. "Keep your hormones in check; we are in a hospital you know."

"Right. Right sorry. My apologies miss…?" He asked while he kissed her hand.

"Rue." She said while retrieving her hand from his grasp.

"Rue I'm so sorry. Excuse my friend here. Believe me or not, he is in a serious relationship." I said while giving her an apologetic smile.

"How on earth does that work?" she laughed.

"You see, my lovely lady." Finnick started "All I do is speak my thoughts, I do not, however take any action, so it's perfectly okay. Plus, I love my girlfriend and she is sexier than any woman ever."

That was true. Finnick has been in love with Annie since high school, and although he acted and talked like a total douchebag he was as faithful as a golden retriever.

"What a lucky girl." Rue said "I am going to leave you two alone; since you clearly have important things to talk about" she stopped and gave me the same smug look from earlier "I will be back when visiting hour is over. Pleasure to meet you Finnick."

"Oh honey, you don't know anything about pleasure until you get with me!" Finnick called as Rue left the room.

"Finnick, man, what the hell is wrong with you?" I asked after lightly slapping his head.

He just laughed and shrugged me off. "C'mon lighten up Peet. It's just a joke, she knows it, I know it, and everyone knows it. But seriously though? That doctor was really hot. You should have seen her."

"Yeah I know. She is my doctor." I said silently.

"WHAT?" He all but yelled.

"Shhh! We are in a _hospital _Finnick. Hospital. Okay?"

"Dude I don't care! You have a hot doctor like that and you are just sitting here like it's not a big deal. You have to tap that."

"I don't _have _to do anything. She is my physical therapist and my recovery depends on her. I can't just do that." I said.

"Um, excuse you, of course you can! What's the big problem here? She is hot, you are mildly attractive, well not right now because you look like shit, but soon you will be back to normal. She is a woman, you are a man, I really don't see the issue here." He said while taking a piece of gum out of his pocket.

I have never, seen anyone chew as much gum as Finnick did. It was truly surprising how he always had some with him. Some people smoked cigarettes, some gambled, he chewed gum.

"It's not that simple Finn and you know it. Plus she is way out of my league. Especially now that I only have one functional leg" I said while pointing at my cast.

"So? That is not the part she will be interested in." he winked "And how many times have I told you there is no such thing as 'out of my league'? You can get anyone you want all you need is confidence. And you know, a few tips for you pal right here."

"I don't know where you get this idea that you are such a player to be honest. You only ever have been with Annie. And even to start that was a struggle if I remember correctly." I said with a grin.

"Shut up. You know I'm right. And when have the tips I gave you not worked? Name one."

"Easy. Samantha Oradell."

"How the fuck was I suppose to know she was into chicks?! That was not my fault."

"Okay, what about… Priscilla Maldon? Maybe… Susan Brora? Or perhaps, just last month, Glimmer Sentinel." I deadpanned. "Have I made my point clear?"

"Give me a break okay! I had no idea Glimmer had a boyfriend _and _a hot Spanish lover. I didn't know that Priscilla was just using you to make her ex-boyfriend jealous. And please, Susan was so not my fault. How could I have guessed she was going to run off with some weirdo in a band?" he pleaded "These are all terrible examples."

"They are also all the times you helped me with girls. So no, thank you very much."

"Fine, whatever. You are missing out on some great stuff with your doctor. Just so you know." He frowned.

"Ah c'mon don't get mad. I just don't want to do anything that I might regret latter. Even if I do think she is really attractive. I will just have to suck it up."

"Alright. I get it I guess." He smiled at me and hit my arm lightly "I just hope for her sake that she makes you leg work or else I will torment her until the end of times." He chuckled.

"Thank you? I don't know."

There was knock on the door and soon after Rue's head popped on the door frame.

"Sorry to interrupt guys but visitor hour is over and Peeta needs to rest."

"You going to be alright Peet?" Finnick asked.

"Yeah, I will be fine."

"Okay" He got up and taped my arm. "See you soon"

As they both left I was alone with nothing but my thoughts. They kept me up most of the night. Would I ever be able to walk normally? Would I be strong enough to go back to work? If not, what on earth would I do with my life?

When I finally was able to fall sleep all I could see was burning rooms and no windows to escape from, no doors to break. The fire spread all around me and it clung to my uniform, I couldn't take it off, it burned my skin and I had no other choice but to let it make of me what it wanted.

* * *

><p>I woke up sweating and my heart was racing. I reached for the glass of water on the side of my bed but it was empty. I stayed there staring at the ceiling trying to calm down.<p>

Grabbing my crutches that were leaned against the bed I stand up and went to the window. I opened it and breathe in the cold night air.

The sun just started rising in the horizon. Must be somewhere between three or four in the morning. Dad must be up preparing for another day in the bakery. He hadn't come to visit yet, and I hadn't even bothered to call. He must be worried sick by now.

Going back to sit on the bed I grabbed the phone on the nightstand and dialed his number. He answered after a few rings.

"Hello?"

"Hey dad." I said.

"Peeta?"

"It's me."

"Peeta, oh my god. I have been so worried! I'm so sorry I couldn't come and visit you, you know how crazy things are here and I couldn't manage to get a day off since last month when Jerry quit. How are you Peet?"

"I'm okay I guess. And don't worry dad I understand."

"Peeta, I'm so sorry." his voice hitched in his throat.

"Dad, it's okay." I said "I was wondering, um, if I could stay with you when I got out of the hospital? My doctor said it would be best to have someone around, at least in these first weeks."

"Of course you can Peety. Just call me when you leave and I will go pick you up, okay?"

"Alright. Thanks dad."

"I love you Peeta, don't ever forget that okay? Now get some rest kido."

"I love you too dad. See you."

I hung up and lay back down on the bed. I could hear the birds chirping outside and sound of cars passing by. After a while my eyes started to get heavy and I relaxed against the bed. I went back to sleep, only this time, nothing haunted me.

* * *

><p><strong>Thank you all so much! I'm so happy that you guys are enjoy the story so far! I was wondering though if you think the chapter are too short? I don't know I have this feeling.<br>Either way I love you all, and if you have any questions or anything you would like to say PM me or come say Hi on tumblr. I'm herfathersbow.  
>See you all next sunday!<strong>


	5. Chapter 5

When I woke up my throat was dry and my neck hurt. These hospitals pillows are so flat and uncomfortable I think they did more harm than good.

After about ten minutes of mindlessly laying in bed and staring at the ceiling I lifted myself of the bed and went to the bathroom. My balance with the crutches is still a little off and I stumbled right before reaching the door.

When I looked at myself in the mirror I was relieved to see that some color had returned to my face and that I didn't look so beaten up as I did before but my hair still looked like a mess and my lips are chapped.

I sat on the toilet and let everything that happened overtake me. And I did something I haven't done in a long time. I cried.

Pressing my eyes with the palms of my hand I balanced myself back and forth, the way I used to when I was a kid and mom was still around to hit me. I lifted my head up and willed myself to calm down but another wave of tears hit me.

I only stopped when I heard a soft knock on the door.

"Peeta?" Cinna asked "Are you alright?"

"I, um, yeah. I'll be right out. Just a sec." I replied.

I got up as fast as I could, and washed my face with ice cold water. I locked eyes with myself in the mirror and I willed myself to recompose. Once the redness in my eyes faded I made my way out and went directly to the bed to sit down.

Cinna eyed me skeptically for a moment before giving me his signature smile.

"So Peeta, how do you feel today?"

_Like shit._

"I'm okay" I said while rubbing my neck "But you really need to change these pillows. They are horrible" I joked trying to ease out some of the tension.

"You are not the first to complain about them. Trust me." He chuckled "But good news is you are not going to need them anymore. You can go home today."

"Already?"

"Yes, because right now, we did what we needed to do. All you need is rest and physical therapy. I take it that Katniss come to see you yesterday?"

"Yeah she did."

"Great. But don't be scared, it's not as awful as she probably made it sound. She can be a bit overbearing at times, and a little grumpy, but once you get used to it she is really a great person. And a great physical therapist" he remarked.

"I'll take your word on that" I said while holding back a smirk.

"But before you go, is there anything you would like to ask?"

"Um, yeah. Katniss said I should come by next week to see how the bone is healing, um, when do I schedule it or is the date set already?"

"Oh right! Right sorry. Is Thursday at six pm okay?"

"Yeah. It's fine."

"Alright. Do you feel any pain, or headache, or anything that is bothering you?" He inquired.

"Um, no. Just a slight pain in my knee sometimes. But nothing big."

"Well that's normal. I will give you the prescription for a pain killer anyway, just in case you need it." He said while scribbling on a piece of paper. "If the pain gets really bad and the pain killers don't help, come here okay?"

He handed the paper to me, and it surprised me to see that he had really neat handwriting.

"My mom made me take calligraphy as a kid." He explained.

"That actually explains a lot." I chuckled.

"I will take that as a compliment" he laughed "But that's about it Peeta. You can go home now."

"Thank you Cinna. Will I be seeing you again?"

"Normally, no. But since you are a pretty cool patient, I will try to stop by whenever you are here." He smiled.

"Thank you."

"Alright, alright. Now go home."

"Okay, jeez. What happened to being a cool patient?" I smirked.

"That can change." He headed for the door and stopped just beside it "And Peeta?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"It's okay to cry every once in a while."

And then he was gone.

Well so much for what was left of my dignity.

I started to feel sweat pooling in my back and decided to take a shower before leaving. But then I realized that I didn't have clothes, or any idea how to shower with a cast on. I pushed the little button beside my bed to call Rue. This whole depending on other people deal was starting to piss me off.

After a few moments she appeared on the door way.

"Hey. How are you this fine morning?"she beamed.

"I feel fine. How come you are always so cheerful? I asked

"I don't know. I just do." she laughed "What can I do you for?"

"So, Cinna told me I could go home today." I started.

"So I've heard. Happy to leave this place?" she joked.

"I guess so." I smirked. "Anyway, I was going to take a shower but then I remembered I don't know how to take a shower with a cast on. So, _how_ do you take a shower with a cast on?"

She laughed. "It's quite easy actually; you just wrap it up in plastic."

"That's all?"

"Yep. When you are at home a plastic bag will do. Just wrap it up really tight and seal it at the top with tape or a rubber band. Newspaper bags are a really good size, or even bread bags. But don't submerge the cast in water."

"And what do I do right now?"

"We have this thing that's kind of like a sleeve for you cast; there is a pump that sucks the air out from under the cover so it forms a tight seal against the cast. I'm going to go get, be right back."

While Rue went out to get the sleeve for my cast I remembered I still didn't have clothes, or a ride home, so I dialed the number of the first person that come to mind.

"Hello?"

"Hey Rye? It's Peeta."

"Peeta! Oh God! You are alive."

"Yeah" I laughed.

"Really man, I was worried."

"No need to be, I'm okay now. Um, listen, are you busy?"

"Define busy… Is being home alone eating pizza and playing Left For Dead considered as being busy? Because if so, yes, yes I am." He joked.

"I don't think so."

"Well then no. What do you need?"

"I was hoping you could come and get me at the hospital with a change of clothes and then take me to dads?"

"Anything for my baby brother!" he chimed.

"Thanks man. Oh and Rye?"

"Yeah?"

"Put some pants on before you leave the house. Please."

"Gotcha." He said before hanging up.

Rue come back soon after, holding a towel and a blue sheet on top of it.

"Here you go." She said while handing both to me. "Just push the sleeve up your leg until it's around the cast, squeeze the pump and you are ready to go."

"Okay. My brother will be here soon to take me home so I would highly suggest you leave this general vicinity" I joked.

"Why?" she smirked.

"It's just, um, he can be a little too much sometimes. Like Finnick, but worst."

"Oh, then I really should be going." She joked "I will pass by before you leave alright?"

"Okay."

"If you get too tired of standing in the shower, there is a small little chair in the corner. And please, try not to slip." She said before leaving the room.

I hung the towel and the blue sleeve against my back and went to the bathroom closing the door behind me. Once inside I set them both next to the sink and started to take my hospital gown off, pleased to see I at least had some underwear on. When I pulled it down it got stuck to my cast and I had to force it down making me lose my balance. I griped the sink as tightly as I could to stop me from falling on my face.

Sitting on the toilet seat I pulled the blue sleeve up until in covered my cast and squeezed the little pump that hanged from it. It clung to my cast and when I tried to move it around it didn't budge a bit.

With my cast covered I bounced with my left leg until the door of the small shower using the walls for balance. Once I was inside I turned on the shower and let the hot water course through me, letting the stress disappear down the drain with the water. Steam raised all around me and I closed my eyes, feeling the water make its way down my back.

My left leg started to quake and I spotted the chair Rue was talking about in the corner. I pushed it next to me and sat down. Resting my head on my hands I sat there for a long time. The scalding water felt so too good to move. And leaving this warmth and facing whatever it was that I would have to face in the weeks that awaited me seemed impossible. I just wished I could stay in this shower forever.

But way to soon, I heard a loud knocking on the bathroom door, which got louder and louder by the second. It could only be one person. Rye.

"I will be right out!" I yelled.

I turned off the water and got up in one fast motion. The cold air hitting my body sent a shiver trough me. I slowly got out of the shower as careful as I could so I wouldn't fall and the knocking on the door resumed.

"I will be right out!" I yelled, a little louder this time.

I bent down to remove to blue sleeve and made sure that the cast is still dry. This time the knocking nearly broke the door open.

"I SAID I WILL BE RIGHT OUT! CALM YOUR DAMN TITS!" I shouted. And not long after that I heard giggling from the other side.

As quickly as I could I grabbed the towel from where it laid on sink and start to dry myself of. Once I was done I tied it around my hips, retrieved my crutches from the corner and went outside.

"Godam it Rye, I swear_"

I stopped dead in my tracks once I took in the scene before me. Rye and Rue were both sitting in my hospital bed, and Rue is as red as a tomato. And I was positive it was not because I was in a towel.

"Oh hey princess, how are you?" Rye cheered.

"I'm good. Not as good as you both though."

Rue flashed her eyes at me and I gave her the same smile she gave to me after Katniss left yesterday. I glared at her and she got somehow even redder and dipped her head down.

"I can guarantee that Peet, you look like shit."

"Aw thanks." I said while resting my hand over my heart and making the fakest smile I could manage. "Did you bring the clothes I asked?"

"Well of course I did. What kind of person do you think I am?" he smirked while throwing a rucksack at me.

I managed to catch it without letting my crutch fall and gave him a look. "Oh I don't know… the type that leaves the house without pants maybe?"

Rue looked at me and then at Rye and tried, and failed, to suppress her giggles with her hand.

"Hey! That was one time!" he belted "And it was like five in the morning and I was super sleepy and with a hangover! And it was a long time ago." He said while looking at Rue, who still hadn't manage to stop laughing.

"It wasn't" I said to Rue "It was two weeks ago and he went to Wallmart in his boxer a pair of crocks and a Captain America shirt. Plus, it was five in the _afternoon._"

"Shut up! You are ruining my game." he whispered at me.

"You can do that fine on your own." I smirked "Anyway I'm going to get dressed, you, behave."

"Oh I'll make sure she will." Rye winked at Rue.

"I'm talking to you." I pointed at Rye before going back to the bathroom.

I opened the rucksack and put in the jeans that were inside, along with the black pair of converse. I was about to put on the shirt when I paused and looked at it.

"Rye!" I screamed.

He poked his head inside the bathroom with a shit eating grin. "Yes?"he sang.

"What is this?" I growled at him.

"Um, a shirt?"

"Oh yeah? Fuck you."

"Jesus Peet, I don't know why you are acting this way. I brought you what you asked me didn't it? I was just trying to be a good brother." He smirked.

"By bringing me a shirt that's says 'Cunt destroyer'? On the day I leave the hospital? Really?"

"It's just a shirt,"

"Shut up. You are a bitch you know that?" I hissed while shoving the shirt on.

"Shh. I love you too. Now c'mon."

"Nice shirt." Rue smirked the moment I stepped out of the bathroom.

"Shut up you too."

"Alright. I have to work now anyway." She said. The smirk never actually leaving her face. "I will see you next week. Bye."

"And you will see _me _this saturday right!" Rye boomed.

I looked at Rue and wiggled my eyebrows she just squinted and me and waved me off before leaving the room.

"Right?!" Rye called after her. He turned to me with a wide grin on his face "Dude I _totally_ have a date this saurday."

"God I hate you. Remember again never to ask you for help. Ever."

"Ah man, why? I'm such a good bro."

"Dude, you give a disgusting shirt and you hit on my nurse. I don't consider that as good." I smirked.

"Then why didn't you ask your buddy Finnick?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe because he has a job. You know those things people do for a living?"

"Hey! I have a job mkay?"

"Sitting on your ass all day is not a job Rye."

"It is if you are me!" he beamed. "Now let's go, dad is waiting for us."

I sighed and followed Rye out the door. I loved my brother but he was as lazy as they could get. He wasn't always like that though. He started to become a slacker once mom decided to leave.

And that decision was the best one she ever made.

"Hey Rye, have you spoken to Markus recently?"

"Not really, and I don't want to. He's a dick." He fumed.

"He is still our brother though."

"Yeah, great fucking brother he turned out to be!" he paused and lowered his voice when he notice the people in the waiting room we were passing by started staring. "How could he pick her side after _everything _she fucki—"

"Rye." I stopped him.

"Sorry. But you know I'm right."

I didn't say anything, just limited myself to nodding. Rye took a deep breath shook his head and pushed the elevator button.

"We are better without him. He sucked ass in the family basketball games anyway." He laughed.

When the doors opened he stepped inside and helped me in. "C'mon now, let's get your sorry as home."

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys, I'm so sorry for the late uptade, life kind of got in my way, and also I'm writing three stories for propmts in panem.<br>I truly am sorry!  
>I hoped you liked Rye, I made him the image of the brother I always wanted to have. And about the whole mother leaving them thing and Markus being a lil tit, I will explain it soon! I hope my mystery doesn't annoy you too much!<br>As always you can find me on tumblr as herfathersbow, come and say Hi!**


	6. Chapter 6

After about twenty minutes of Rye's incessant honking and swearing every time someone did something wrong in traffic, we got to dads house. The Mellark Bakery sign welcoming me home.

He made a turn and stopped in the back of the bakery, next to the delivery bike, which looked way rustier and scratched than I last remembered it. The back door was open, something that was only happened when it really hot or when dad was in a bad mood. Today though, I couldn't tell which one it was.

I got out of the car and made my way inside, with Rye right beside me. Even before entering the door I could already smell the bread, the dill, everything that had been with me since I could remember. I looked at Rye and I could tell he felt it to.

"Hey Rye?"I ask.

"Yeah?"

"Doesn't it feel different? Coming home I mean. It feels, I don't know, good. Not like an obligation, like it was before, even though I'm coming here because of my leg."

"Yeah." He chuckles. "I come here a few times after mom left, and it still felt the same, because I still thought she would be here. But then when I come here two weeks ago I think, it just dawned on me that she was gone, that she wouldn't be here with her scolding face and high pitched voice."

"It feels nice."

"Yeah. Now shut up and let's inside, I'm starving!" he beamed.

"You will continue to be starving then." Stated a voice I knew all too well. "Because this is not you private restaurant young man. Have I not told you this before?" Dad said while crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the door frame.

"Oh I'm sorry. I just thought maybe you would have something to feed your kids with. My bad." Rye retorted.

"I guess I can make something up. Come here you two.''

Dad pulled Rye for a bear hug and I just watched for a minute, enjoying seeing my dad happy and care free. Something he hadn't been in a really long time. Rye pushed him off a while after mumbling something about being a grow ass man that dad only laughed at.

He looked at me and opened his arms wide, I ran to them as firmly as I could manage with my bad knee and my cructhes. Once I was in his embrace I let the crutches fall to the ground and stood only using my left leg. Dad smelled like home, like bread, like the bakery I grew up in. I rested my face on his shoulder and hugged him as tight as I could. He hugged me even tighter.

After a while he released me and set his hands on my shoulders.

"Good?" he asked.

"Good." I nodded.

"Okay. Let's go inside, to be honest I'm hungry myself." He smirked.

Rye started playing with my crutches and I had to fight him off to get them, obviously I lost. So I hoped inside and sat down on the one of the chairs around the work table. Once he was completely satisfied with himself he set them next to me. Dad stood leaning over the sink smirking and shaking his head at us.

"Dad, you closed the bakery for today?" I asked.

"Yeah. I was getting really tired, and without any extra help, just Francine in the front I thought I call it a day. It was a slow day anyway." He said while rubbing the back of his head.

"You still didn't find anyone to take Jerry's place?" Rye asked while grabbing one of the cookies that were on the cooling rack. "Why did he quit anyway? What a douche."

"Something about getting a really big inheritance from an uncle, or whatever. He basically just come in, said he didn't need to work anymore and left. While he is god knows where having the time of his life I'm here with work stuffed until my years. Let me tell you something boys: I'm getting to old for this."

"I bet he will burn trough that money so fast he will be right back here begin for a job within the next few months." Rye retorted. "Why didn't you ask for help dad?"

Dad just shook his head and grinned. "You two boys were just settling in your jobs and doing your own thing I didn't want to impose on the two of you."

"Wait." I interrupted him. "Rye? A job? Since when?"

"Yeah Peet, Rye told me he just recently got a job in a security company as a programmer for computer or some weird thing like that, right Rye?"

"I, yes. Yes, yes. Computer programmer, yes."

"Oh really?" I grinned. "Well congratulations."

"Thank you bro." he leaned in closer to me and mumbled "Say anything and I will break your other knee got it?''

"Chill. I won't say anything, but you will have to explain that to me." I mumbled back at him. "But dad, since I'm going to be here and I can't currently do _my _job, why don't I help you?"

"Really Peet? That'd be great. But are you sure you can stand that long?"

"Please. I went through worse." I joked while pointing at me knee.

"Alright." He grinned and eyed Rye devouring the cookies. "Hey, hey, hey! Calm down cookie monster. Let's go upstairs and I will cook us something really quick. Stop eating those." Dad took of his apron and started to wash his hand, but stopped suddenly. "Rye! I said stop eating those."

Rye stuffed one more cookie in his mouth and backed away from the rack with his hands up.

"Good boy." dad joked.

The stairs to the house was next to the back door of the bakery and they took me a while to climb. By the time I got to the top I was panting loudly and my arms burned from exhaustion. Rye was waiting for me at the top with his arms crossed and looking at his watch.

"Wow stop going so fast Peet, you are going to hurt yourself." He grinned.

I laughed as loudly and as sarcastically as I could "Screw you, butt head."

"Will you two grow up?!" dad shouted from the kitchen.

"Sorry!" we both yelled back at the same time.

"So Rye… What's that bullshit story about you having a job?"

"Shhh! Keep your voice down!" he whispered "Okay. Fine. Dad was really worried about me not having a job and bla bla bla so I invented that whole security company thing."

"And doesn't it, I don't know, make you feel like shit knowing that is all alone running the bakery and you sit on your ass all day?" I sneered.

"Yes, of course it does! I'm not a fucking prick Peeta." He hissed. "But there is also another thing I didn't tell you."

"Oh and what is that? Going to steal candy from kids?"

"Stop it. I'm not the slacker as you think I am." I raised my eyebrows as a way of telling him to continue. "Yes it is true I sit on my ass all day _but _I do it because I'm working on my own video game and I have a chance to pitch it to this new up-coming video game company. I just wanted to make it a surprise."

"You're kidding." Rye simply shook his head. "Really?! That's great Rye!"

"I know right! Now shut up." he deadpanned.

We started making our way to kitchen where dad was cooking something that smelled impossibly good.

"You could have told me you know." I added.

"Yeah I know I could. But I wanted to keep this a secret for as long as possible. Didn't work out that much though."

"And what's it about?"

"Oh no no no, I am not telling you anything else. It will remain a secret until you go buy it in the store, thank you very much."

"Jeez mysterious Rye is more annoying than slacker Rye." I joked.

"Alright boys!" dad beamed as he took the pot on the stove to the center on the table. "Behold, my delicious and tasty bolognaise!"

"I was expecting something more elaborate for your first dinner with the best sons in the world after so long. But I guess it will have to do." Rye said while filling his plate and digging in.

"And where are these sons I do not know about? Do they arrive soon?" dad chimed. "It was all I had; I hadn't done any grocery shopping in a while."

"It's delicious dad."I stated. And it truly was, all the pastas I ate in fancy restaurants had nothing on the one that dad made. "Rye is just being a pain."

Dinner went by smoothly, we ate and talked and time flew. Before any of us could notice it, it was already eleven pm and Rye said he needed to head home because he had 'work' in the morning, but not before I made promised to be back next week to take me to physical therapy.

I helped dad with the dishes and prepping out my old room for me to sleep in.

"It's a little dusty" he smirked "I'll ask Francine to clean it up a bit tomorrow, but you would have to stay in the front. That okay?"

"Yeah, its fine. Dad, thank you so much for letting me stay."

"Peeta" he said while holding my shoulders "You are my son. Of course I would let you stay; stay as long as you need. What kind of parent would I be if I didn't?"

I winced. I knew exactly what kind of parent he would be. He gently squeezed my shoulders to reassure me.

"I will help out as much as I can." I said, my voice so small I sounded like a child.

"You don't have to if you don't think you can handle it Peet. I'm going to be fine, soon enough I will find someone to replace Jerry."

"But I want to help dad. Please."

"Okay." He smiled. "Now get some rest you look exhausted.

"So do you." I joked.

"This is just my face kido."

Dad left with a pat on my back. And I was alone standing in my childhood bedroom.

The walls were full of posters: from movies, to bands, to basketball players. The bed was leaned against the wall and had fresh sheets on it. The closet was full of clothes, books, shoes and blankets. The books case was fairly empty, having only a few books and my old sketch books.

I sat on the bed and leaned against the wall, letting the exhaustion of the climbing the stairs slowly creep up on me. My knee started to throb and I dug in my pocket for the painkillers that Cinna gave me. I went to the kitchen and got of glass of water then returned to my room.

I stared down at my clothes and realized I still had Rye's clothes so I opened the closet again and dug for something that fit. I found some loose shorts and an old The Offspring shirt that were surprisingly my exact size. After putting both of them on I tossed Rye's clothes to the floor.

Water glass in hand I shoved the small little pill in my mouth and swallowed, chugging it down with the water. I set the now empty glass on the night stand and got under the covers. The pillow felt a million times better than the ones in the hospital.

I closed my eyes and let myself drift off to sleep.

"_Daddy!"_

_I knew I shouldn't be playing in the living room. I knew it. Mom always tells me not to. But Rye and Markus weren't here, and I got so bored. And I wasn't doing anything wrong; I was just pretending the floor was lava. That's all._

_That's until I broke mom's lamp and cut my hand._

"_Daddy!" I screamed again._

_Daddy will help, he will clean it and hide it from Mommy, and it's going to be okay. _

"_Shut up you little brat! What do you want?"_

_Oh no. Mommy is coming, no no no. I called for Daddy. She is going to get mad. I don't like it when she is mad. _

"_What do-" she walks through the door and stops. She just stands there looking at her lamp, then at me, then at her lamp again. I can see she is starting to get really mad. I can tell. Her hands clench into fists, and she starts to get red, and her nostrils go wide. _

"_What did you do? You useless bastard!"_

_I hide my hand behind my back, and I try my best not to cry. It's always worse when I cry. _

"_Answer me! What did you do!" she yells._

_I just shake my head. I can't speak, if I speak I cry. I can't cry._

"_What are you hiding behind your back? Tell me!"_

_I hold my breath and shake my head. She walks towards me and snatches my hand from my back._

"_You little shit!" she slaps my head. Hard. "What were you doing huh?! If you don't speak it will be worse on you!"_

_That is a lie. It's always worse when I speak._

"_Speak!" She shakes me. _

"_I- I- was just… Playing. A-a-and it fell. Mommy I'm-m sorry."_

"_Oh you're sorry?! How many times did I tell you not to play in the living room?! Can't you do anything right?! You useless crap!" _

_She turns around and grabs something from the coffee table. When she gets back she sits on the sofa and sets the phone book on her lap._

"_Peeta. You know I don't like to do this to you, don't you?"_

_I say nothing._

"_Don't you?!" she shouted._

"_Y-yes." I croak._

"_Then why, do you _make _me do it Peeta. Why?" She gets up and stands in front of me. "Why do you make me be a bad mother?!" she shouts while hitting me with the phone book._

_I fall to the floor, having a hard time breathing. My back hurts and she hits me again, this time in the head._

"_You are going to your room, and you won't leave until its dinner time you hear me?" She pulls me up by the collar of my shirt and starts dragging me to my room. She throws me to the floor and crouches next to me. _

"_And Peeta" she says softly, while pushing the hair of my face. "Not a word of this to your father. Or it will be way worse next time." She grabs a handful of my hair and pushes my head to the floor. _

_She leaves and locks the door. I stand up and look at my hand that is still bleeding. I go to my sock drawer and tie a sock around it like Markus thought me. I can hear mommy moving around the living room so I go to my hiding spot in the closet. And stay there rocking back and forth, trying not to cry, until I hear the door open. _

I woke up sweating, my heartbeat erratic. I stood up and looked around the room.

_It's okay Peeta._ I tell myself. _It's over._

I opened the window and breathed in deeply, willing myself to calm down. I looked at the deserted street. A car flashed by once in a while, then disappeared into the night. I felt the hairs in neck stand up and I turned around and looked at the closet.

Standing in front of it I slowly open the doors and start moving the pile of books and mess of clothes and shoes until I found it. The only place I was safe as a kid, the tiny little space between the shoe rack and the wall. It was covered with flowers and trees. I remember painting one after every time she hit me. It soothed me somehow.

I run my finger tips over the little drawings and let myself stay there, just staring at that tinny little spot for a long time.

* * *

><p><strong>Hi.<br>****I don't have much to say, just that next week I will go back to the regular sunday updates. So, yeah.  
>If you would like to say anything or leave and opinion or whatever PM me or come talk to me in tumblr. Im herfathersbow.<br>**


	7. Chapter 7

The bell on the front door ringed incessantly. Today the flow of costumers was steady and I could tell dad was happy to have help, even if the help couldn't walk around easily and yawed every ten minutes. I wasn't used to baking hours anymore and staying up late yesterday didn't help either.

But everything I did come naturally, something like a second nature, which you would expect since I have been doing this for most of my life. Sometimes something would go amiss and I'd had to ask dad for help, but overall I was doing just fine.

Somewhere after lunch though, my knee started to hurt and my muscles started to tighten. Dad notice I couldn't make a step without wincing and he said it was okay for me to go rest, the customer flow had started to die down anyway. I just shrugged him of, I could still stand perfectly well, as long as I leaned against something every once in a while. The truth was that I couldn't manage staying upstairs alone all by myself without going insane. Every room in that house was marked by pain and yelling, and I couldn't handle it all just yet.

After a while he sent out front saying that Francine needed to clean upstairs but I knew better. He just sent me out front because he knew I could sit and work there. Even though I felt bad for taking Francine's place, I was glad I could sit down.

Francine was nineteen and she has been working with dad since I left for college, she was like a sister for both me and Rye. She was quiet around new people but somehow very good with customers; she charmed everyone with her green eyes and tanned skin. Dad said that ever since mom left she offered herself to clean the house once a week, which he denied at first but ended up accepting after he lived around filth for about a month. Or so she told me.

But working out front in my current state got annoying after a while. Most of the customers where from the neighbourhood and I knew them and they knew me, so basically what I heard all day where a series of 'Peeta how have you been?' or 'You look so grown up!', even the occasional 'What are you doing here?' but mostly 'Oh my, what happened to you?'. After two hours of this I was starting to get fed up with it.

Once all the costumers were gone I went to back to see if Francine was done. Turns out she finished an hour ago but was helping dad. I asked if she wanted to go back to her place she just waved her hand.

"No, you are way better out there than I am. I'll just help your dad for today." She said.

The bakery was empty of customers for a while and I just flipped through the registry book to pass the time. Dad really needed to upgrade this system. It wasn't effective anymore. I was about fifteen pages in when I saw a name written in Francine's loopy handwriting that caught my attention. Katniss Everdeen.

I couldn't possibly be the Katniss I was thinking about could it? I tried my best to remember what her second name was, or if she even said it, but Katniss wasn't a very common name. But why should I care anyway? She is just my doctor and if she bought stuff here good for her, everything thing here tasted amazing. The sound of the door ringing called my attention and I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. _Here we go again. _I though.

When I looked up I was taken aback by the sight before me. Katniss was standing right in from front of me, hair loose in dark waves, a blue tank top that matched her skin and gave me enough view of cleavage to make my mind run crazy, and a pair of shorts that clung to her thighs so beautifully it made my head stir.

"Peeta, hi!" she laughed. "What are you, um doing here?"

"Well you know, Mellark Bakery, Peeta Mellark…" I joked.

"Right! Right." She mumbled, her cheeks getting red. "I just didn't put two and two together I guess."

"It happens." I smirked. "What can I get you?"

"I'm actually come get a cake I ordered last week. Is Francine here?"

"Yeah, she is, let me go get her."

As I walked to the back I tried not to think about the way her blue tank top clung to her features like a second skin.

"France? Someone out front for you."

"Really? France? That's the best you got Peter?" she smirked. "Who is it?"

"Shut up" I joked. "Katniss Everdeen."

"Or right! The cake is almost finished; can you tell her I will be out front with it in a minute?"

"Sure Franciela."

"Thanks Perth."

"Really? Is that even a name?" I laughed.

When I went back Katniss was looking down at the cake display so intently it made snort. She looked up and smiled, her cheeks getting red once again.

"Francine will bring it out once it's finished." I said.

"Thank you."

"Is it for a special occasion?" I asked. _ No Peeta, people order cakes all the time, just because._

"Um, what?" She gulped.

"The cake." I added.

"Oh right. It's my sister's birthday so I thought I do something different, and the stuff here is really good so…"

"Have you been coming here for a long time?" _ How come I never seen or heard of you before?_

"Um, no, not really. I found out about this place through a friend a few months ago."

"Well it's always good to have new customers." I smirked.

"Yeah, I guess so." She smiled. "But, why are you working? If I remember correctly, your doctor told you to rest."

_Right. That. _"But, I'm just sitting here so I'm not actually making any effort." I muttered.

"Actually that's a lie." Francine said from behind me. I turned around to find her smirking at both of us and carrying a Mellark Bakery box in her hands. "He was standing all morning, and baking, and taking things out of the oven."

I gave her a looked that I hoped said _shut up or you are fired _but her smiled only got wider.

"Is this true?" Katniss asked her tone a little harsh. It didn't fit her at all. But damn did her voice sound sexy.

"A little? But I used mostly my arms so it's okay." I mumbled.

"_I _will tell you what is okay Peeta Mellark. And that is definitely not okay."

"But-"

"But nothing." She interrupted. I had to admit, she looked really hot when she was angry. "You will rest like you are suppose to."

Francine just stood next to me seeming extremely pleased with the whole situation. I looked at her again and she lowered her head trying to hide her smirk.

"I really have to go now, but we will talk about this Thursday." She grabbed the cake that Francine handed to her and placed a couple of bills on the counter. As she walked away I really had to urge my eyes not to rake through her solid frame. Just as she reached for the door she turned around and looked pointedly at me. "Rest Peeta." And then she was gone.

"Ohhhhh someone is in trouble." Francine chanted once she left.

"Shut up Francis. Go back to work."

"Whatever Priscilla." She said while making her away to the back.

"That doesn't count!" I called after her.

After Katniss left there was only a handful of customers before we closed. I mindlessly chatted with them all making sure to move on the next one as fast as I could.

Once we were closed and Francine was gone I helped dad with the prepping for tomorrow, cleaning out the dishes and the sink. Dad said there were still some things he had to do but that I could go upstairs and he would do them on his own. Initially I was going to refuse and help but knee started throbbing so I merely nodded and climbed the stairs, which seemed bigger than they had been yesterday. At the time I finally got to the top I already felt like I had run a marathon and I had to lean against the wall to catch my breath.

When I felt I could walk without passing out I went to the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water. I debated if I should start dinner or not, but then I remembered dad never actually ate dinner after work, so I just made him a few sandwiches and went to the bathroom. I felt hot and sweaty and in desperate need of a shower.

I got undressed and was ready to step in the box when I remembered I didn't seal my cast. I swore under my breath and wrapped a towel around my middle and went back to the kitchen. I grabbed the first plastic bag I saw and some tape that was lying around for some reason. Once I was in the bathroom again I quickly wrapped the plastic back around my cast and secured it with the tape. Satisfied I tossed the tape to the floor and got in the box. I turned on the shower and waited for the water to get warm enough before going under it. I pressed my hand to the wall to steady myself and let the hot steaming water course through me while it relaxed my tense muscles.

Fleeting images of Katniss ran through my mind and I tried my best to push them aside. It was useless though. The image of her in those shorts was engraved in my mind, and so was her. I swore at myself for thinking that way about my doctor, but I just couldn't help it. She was so attractive, and so different from every girl I ever met. There wasn't anything fake or exaggerated about her, she plain and simple and it was so _fucking _sexy.

I felt myself getting hard and I swore again. I felt awful about what I was going to do. But I couldn't stay like this or I would explode, I needed some sort of release, so I wrapped my hand around my aching cock and started pumping. I tried to think of anyone else but her, but somehow she managed to sneak in my mind no matter how hard I tried. So I just stopped trying.

I imagined her naked on my bed, writing beneath me as I moved inside her, her moans getting louder and louder, and her breaths getting more frantic. She would cling to my shoulders and moan my name. I would lavish every inch of her skin, stopping at her breasts to make her even more hot and bothered. She would squirm and drag her nails along my back so hard it would leave marks on it for days. And as she came she would scream my name once more and fall limply on the bed. And with that image on my mind I come with a loud grunt, the water washing away the traces of my arousal.

After that I washed myself quickly and got back to the kitchen to find dad sitting at the table having a beer and eating one of the sandwiches I made him. I sat down next to him and exhaled deeply.

"Thank you for these." He said while pointing at the sandwiches. "Want a beer?"

"Sure." I said weakly.

He got up from his chair and messed around in the fridge until he found another bottle of Heineken. He handed it to me and I popped open the cap and took a long swig.

"So how do you feel after you first day back in the baking business?" he asked.

"Honestly? Like crap." I laughed.

"I told you to come upstairs and rest but no, you wanted to beat yourself up didn't you." He joked.

"It's mostly because I had a bad night sleep last night than anything else."

"Either way, you should take it easy tomorrow. I'm not _that _old."

"But I like helping dad, plus I can't stay up here all day doing nothing without losing my mind." I tried to play it off as a joked but he understood the true meaning behind my words.

His face got sad and distant for a while and I had look down at my bottle in order not to cry.

"Yeah well, I still think you should listen to what you lady doctor told you."

"Oh no. You heard that?" I groaned. "As if it was not enough having Francine rating out on me."

"She was just trying to look out for you, she looks at you and Rye like big brothers you know that."

"Yeah I do. And she is fitting the role of annoying sister just fine." I laughed.

"Still, you _should _do what your doctor said and rest Peet."

"I'll rest when you find someone to replace Jerry."

"Why must you so stubborn. Why couldn't you be that kid who simply complies with what he is told?" He joked.

"And what would be the fun in that?"

Dad chuckled and finished his sandwich. I grabbed one for myself and we ate in peaceful silence before he set his plate in the sink and started to head out to his bedroom and call it a night.

"You should sleep to if you don't want to fall asleep on top of a cake tomorrow!" he called from the hallway.

I laughed and took one last swig of beer then dropped it in the bin. I considered going to the living room and watching some TV but my eyes were starting to get really heavy so I went to my room.

Francine did a really good job in here, there was no speckle of dust visible and the bed was made and dressed with new clean sheets. The mess that was my closet was organized and the clothes were neatly folded. The entire room smelled fresh and clean.

I opened the window and laid down on the bed, tangling myself around the soft sheets. My mind raced back to what happened in the shower and I immediately felt my ears getting hot. I don't know what gotten into me; I was never the kind of guy to do that. And especially with someone I would be seeing regularly. But I just couldn't help it; there wasn't something about Katniss that was just so attractive. I could quite pinpoint what it was. Perhaps it was just the mix of everything.

But if I was going to feel this way every time I saw her then there was no way I could possibly handle I don't know how many sessions of physical therapy with her. And I bet she has no clue, zero fucking idea of the effect she has on me.

* * *

><p><strong>Hi. Hello.<br>I'd like to apologize for _still _not making the first therapy session happen. Although it is kind of fun to frustrate you all :b  
>I tried to ease the pain by making some everlark interaction yey (which is not good enough I know). If you are wondering if Peeta is going to a little horny freak every time they see each other the answer is <em>yes.<em>  
>But fear not, he is not a dog and there will be all the fluflly goodness you strive for. Along with smut that everyone loves!<br>So hold in there, they therapy session will happen on the next chapter before you guys come after me with torches.  
>Thank you all, if you want to say anything I'm herfathersbow on tumblr, or feel free to PM me. <strong>


	8. Chapter 8

"Peeta! Peeta wake up!" a voice shouted. I feel myself being shaken and a sudden cold hit my body. I burst my eyes open only to find Rye staring at me.

"Peeta wake up now!" he shouted once more, shaking my shoulder as he did so.

"What?" I growl turning on my side, to face the wall while dragging the covers on top of my head.

"You are going to be late to physical therapy!"

_What? _

"What time is it?" I mumbled.

"Five thirty."

I raise my head and look out the window; it didn't look like five thirty. The sun looked like is had just rose in the sky. That only meant that-

"Rye you asshole!" I hissed. "It is at six _pm_, not six _am_!"

"Oh" he said simply. "My bad." He pat my leg and left the room, closing the door with a soft click.

I groan and shove my head back onto the pillow and shut my eyes. If he would just listen when people spoke life would be some much easier.

I tried to go back to sleep but the light coming from the window was too bright and my mind was already alert and I couldn't stop thinking about what was going to happen when I went to the hospital. My mind raced back to what happened in the shower a few days ago and I cringed instantly. _How the hell am I suppose to face her after that? _

I only saw her twice, and yet, she had a huge affect on me, which was completely ludicrous you ask me. Obviously I have been attracted to girls before but nothing compared to this. None of them could get me feeling this frustrated out of nowhere. But for some reason, Katniss Everdeen had a strong grip over mind mind, and refused to let go._  
><em>

After a while fidgeting bed and getting consumed by my thoughts, that had already started to wander into not so chaste topics; I went to the kitchen only to find Rye stuffing his face with cookies. I plumped down on the chair next to him and rest my head on my hands. I groaned in spite of myself and only slouched further into the chair.

"What got you panties all tied up?" he asked.

I raised my head to look up at him and then and sighed,giving him the best smile I could muster when he slid a cup of coffee my way. "Just worried about the first session of therapy, is all."

"Are you sure that is all there is to it?" he inquired, swearing after his cooking sunk in his cup.

"Yeah."

"Why are you worried then?" he asked after trying to retrieve the lost cookie and quitting soon after, popping a fresh one in his mouth.

"It's just that, I don't know, maybe the injury is worst than they thought, or maybe it isn't healing properly, or even I can do something wrong and mess it up, you know? And also after all that work I still might not be good enough to go back to work." And needless to say, those were the thoughts that kept me up at night. All I could imagine was mom's face telling me that she was right, that I was always destined to failure. "What if mom was right about me?"

"No!" he shouted. "Just no. That bitch is out of the picture now, I won't let her influence our lives anymore. You hear me? She is not right, she never was, and never will be. She was just a fucking cold hearted bitch who enjoyed treating her kids like total shit!"

"Rye…"

"No. It's the truth and it needs to be said out loud. Peet, if you keep thinking like that you are going to drive yourself mad." He sat back in his hair and ran a hand through his hair. "Yes, all those things are a possibility, but there is no use in thinking about what could, maybe, go wrong. Think on the positive side. And never, _ever_ say that again because you _know _it isn't true."

"I know. I know." I sighed "But it's hard sometimes _not _to believe her."

"Forget the bitch Peeta. Think on the positive side." He cheered raising his coup of coffee at me and taking a generous sip.

"And what side is that?"

"You can play the sympathy card on women!" he laughed.

"Really Rye? Really? I'm going to use a busted knee to get laid?" I deadpanned. Leave it to Rye to go from anger to playfulness in a matter of seconds. I never met anyone who could shift mood so quickly, or so effectively, especially when it come to cheering people on. But I knew better. This was his way of coping and moving on, how many times did crack a joke after he got a beating from mom, shrugging it off as if it was nothing. He always was the strong one, I don't know what would be of me without him honestly.

"Hell yeah! Why not!"

"You know, you sound just like Finnick." I chuckled.

"A very wise man he is indeed." He guffawed loudly. I just shook my head and took a long sip of my much needed coffee, letting it slid down my throat and slowly jolt my body awake.

"But seriously Rye, what about my job?" I asked after a while.

"Peeta for god's sake! I can't believe it, for someone who had straight A's his whole life you can be really fucking dense! Even if you can't be a firefighter anymore you will always have a job at the bakery. You, that one that your father _owns?_ And if you wanted to, it could be yours in a blink of an eye. Everyone knows you were always a better baker than Markus and me. Or did that just slip your mind?"

"That's true." I spun around in my chair to find dad leaning against the kitchen door frame looking at us with a smirk on his face. "You were always the hope for the family business." He joked.

"Jeez, thanks dad." Rye deadpanned.

"Oh lighten up kido." He crossed the kitchen and ruffled Rye's hair. "Rye does have a point Peeta, there will always be space for you to work in the bakery and not only that, you can also find something else to work on. It is not the end of the world."

Deep down,I knew both of them were right, I just couldn't feel at ease with this whole situation. Although I really liked the job I had now, ever since I was a kid I always saw myself owning the bakery. I never sought it trough because of mom. She always thought that the bakery should go to the oldest son. In this case, Markus, but maybe now that she wasn't here anymore I could take over dad's place. If I absolutely _had _to change my job, nothing would make me happier than baking.

"Yeah, your right dad." I smirked.

"Of course I am!" he joked. "Are you coming down to work today or do you need some rest?"

"I'm going down in a few. Just gonna eat something first." I reassured him. "Hey Rye" I sneered while snatching a cookie from his hand. "Wanna help us out today?"

"Sure." He said with a shrug. "Why not."

"What about your job Rye?" dad asked already heading for the living room.

"I-, um, I'm on my day off." He muttered.

"Oh okay. Good! Just come down whenever you are ready to bake some bread!" dad called from the stairs before he left.

"Day off hum…" I started while getting up to get some yogurt out of the fridge.

"Shut up!" he snapped,throwing a roll of paper towels at me.

"Little stressed are we?" I joked. "How is the whole game thing coming out?" Plopping down in my chair once more I started to devour the yogurt earning a chuckle from Rye, of which I just retorted with a shrug.

"It's good, it's good. Just… Ugh. It's a lot of pressure ya' know? I mean if I fail this, I'd have to tell the truth to dad, and find a shitty job that would make miserable just so can pay my rent." He sighed.

"And what was that just now about the bakery?" I smirked. "The same goes for you Rye; you will always have the bakery. And me, and dad to help. But I'm sure you game is going to be successful. Don't worry."

"I really hope you are right." He smirked. "Anyway, you ready for some bread baking and some cupcake frosting?"

"Yeah." I laughed. "I'd love to see you mess up."

"As if." He barked.

…

"Damit!" Rye hissed as he dropped the pan on his foot.

"What am I going to do with you?" Dad sighed while leaning down the grab the pan and set it on the work table. "You're a disaster!" he chuckled.

"Hey now. I have been back for what, five minutes? So maybe I'm a little rusty, big deal." He boomed as he sat down and rubbed his foot.

"It will be a big deal if you keep destroying my kitchen!"

"You know, these doors are really thin." Francine poked her head trough the door frame. Smirking at all of us. "You are going to end up scaring the customers away."

"I think you do a fine job doing that with you face, thank you." Rye chimed.

Francine merely limited herself to flashing her tongue at him before going back to her place out front, flipping him the bird as she did so.

"She does have point though." I muttered.

"Shut up, or you will blow your ride to the hospital." He deadpanned.

_Shit._

"Rye. What time it is?" I belted.

"Five thirty. Why- Oh shit!" he jumped up from his sit looked at me with wide eyes. All I could do was mimic his expression. God dammit.

"What's wrong?" dad asked.

"I'm gonna be late. Ugh!" I grunted,shoving the apron past my head. Damn it. "I'm gonna go change real quick."

"There is no time! You take thirty minutes just to go up the stairs! Go as you are." Rye insisted.

"Covered in flour? Ha. I don't think so."

"Fine. I will go upstairs grab you change of clothes and you change in the car."

"No wa-"

"Just do it! Go to the car."

"Ah how I am proud of both of you." Dad joked as he watched us, clearly amused with this whole situation. "Both so responsible."

Rye sprinted out the door and soon enough we heard his loud footsteps climbing the stairs in a quick pace. Once he got to the top floor his loud thumps made the windows vibrate. We heard the sound of something heavy falling down followed by a faint hiss from Rye.

I sighed as I started to move towards the door. "You going to be okay?" I asked dad before stepping outside, feeling bad for having to leave him alone in such a hurry.

"Peeta, I have been doing this alone for a while now," he chuckled sadly. "I think I can manage a few hours. Go."

"Okay, I'll be back soon." I tried to push aside the pang of guilt I felt in my gut and went outside. Damn this day.

When I got to the car Rye was already panting inside clutching the stirring wheel. "Here." He said, shoving the clothes at me the moment I got inside.

"Thanks." I mumbled. He nodded and turned the key on the ignition letting his Impala roar to life. As his car sped up in the direction of the hospital I started to undress so I could change to the fresh clean, hopefully decent, clothes.

This proven itself to be very difficult because not only was the space too small, my moving abilities were limited. As I as taking my shirt off my arms got tangled against the roof of the car and I got stuck. I felt the car stop and I heard faint giggles coming from my side. I forced my arms downs, untangling myself as fast as I could I shoved the bakery shirt past my head and looked out the window only to find a car full with teenage girls giggling and staring at me.

I mustered and smile and sunk in my seat to hide myself as Rye laughed, a mischievous grin on his face. I shot him a look and he only laughed, waving to the girls. Once the light turned green again I shoved the clean shirt past my neck and started to work on my pants. I bent over in my seat to push the pants past my knees and I was able to free my left leg, but since I couldn't bend my right one I had stretch all the way to push it past my feet, which caused my back to hurt, and I felt something crack.

In one swift motion I tossed them to the back seat and forced the new pair on, leaning against the seat once I was fully dressed. I sighed and looked over at Rye who was drumming his fingers to a song on the stirring wheel.

"Can we please, please be more careful about time from now on?" I pleaded.

"Sure thing man. But, um, one of those chicks took a picture of you." He laughed.

"What?!"

"Yeah! I think you are going to be famous or something."

"Ugh! Why?" I groaned.

"You should take it as a compliment. Not many guys can say they got they picture taken by a bunch of teenage girls while changing clothes in a car."

"Yeah? Shut up."

I leaned my head back and close my eyes and the image of Katniss flashed in my mind. Between working in the bakery and the rush to get there in time I didn't have any spare time left to think about her, or more precisely, what would happen _when_ I saw her. But now, sitting in the car, getting closer and closer to the hospital, I could feel my gut twisting into knots and my heart beating faster in my chest. I silently hoped I could somehow forget the whole thing and not be such a damned pervert.

"Peeta?"

"W-what?" I stuttered.

"I said we're here."

"Right, right. Sorry." I got so wrapped up in my mind I didn't even realize the car had stopped.

"What's wrong? You got weird out of the sudden."

"Oh? It's nothing, just, um, nervous I guess."

"It will be fine." He assured me. "Now let's go, don't want to be later that you already are."

As we distanced ourselves from the parking lot the feeling in my gut got tighter and my hands started to sweat, making the grip on my crutches falter. I felt like a thirteen year old boy who is going to his first date and I was afraid I would make an ass of myself, which ironically was what happened on my first date. I quickly pushed those thoughts aside, and willed myself to just calm the fuck down.

Once we got passed the doors I made my way to the front desk, where I was greeted with the grumpiest person I have ever met in my life.

"Can I help you?" The woman asked flatly. She looked to be on 30's, had bright red hair tied in a ponytail and big yellow teeth. Her stare only left the computer screen in front of her for a second before turning back and almost completely ignoring my presence.

"I, yes. Um, I have physical therapy session with doctor-"

"You need to go the physical therapy ward." She spat, her eyes never leaving the computer.

"Right. And, um, where is that?"

She sighed and rolled her eyes at me. "Fourth floor, to your right." She pointed her long purple fingernails at the elevator.

"Thank you." I mumbled.

She just nodded and turned back to her computer. I swore I heard a faint "Whatever." coming from her as I left.

"What a bitch." Rye snickered once we got inside the elevator.

"Tell me about it. It's like she is doing us a favor or something." I laughed.

As the elevator started ascending the feeling in my gut returned and I realized how utterly annoying it was. And as hard I tried to, I couldn't remember any other occasion where I had felt this way, which made everything slightly worse. No matter what I did I couldn't shake it off.

I quickly checked the time on my phone and saw that I was already ten minutes late, so when the elevator doors opened I rushed to the receptionist desk, hoping that she wouldn't be as grumpy as the other one. I wasn't in the mood for grumpy people right now.

"Hi. Can I help you?" she greeted with an easy smile. Thank god.

"Hi. Um, I have a physical therapy session with Doctor Katniss Everdeen? This is the first one and I'm running late already."

"Hmm…" she said while checking something on the computer. "Oh right here!" she beamed. "Peeta Mellark… Six pm… Room 43. Right. All you have to do is continue down this hall and you should find it easily."

"Thank you."

"My pleasure." She smiled.

About halfway down the hall I saw a little plaque with the number 43 on it. I placed my hand on the doorknob and turned to Rye.

"Are you going to wait here or will you go home?" I asked.

"I'm going to do neither." He grinned. "I'm going to look for Rue."

I sighed and shook my head at him. He simply squeezed my shoulder and went back in the direction of the elevator. I looked again at the plaque just to make sure, or maybe stall a little longer, I don't know. After a while of awkwardly standing there with my hand on the doorknob I turned it slowly, pushing the door open.

Katniss looked up and smiled from her place behind the desk, making my years go hot. Well so much for trying to forget everything.

"Peeta, hi." She greeted. "I was starting to think you weren't going to make it. Come in, sit."

I sat down in one of the chairs in front of her desk and looked around. The room was medium sized, but every inch of it was purposely organized, besides her desk, it had an exam table leaned against the wall with bureau next to it, behind her there was big wooden shelf filled with books and a small two seat couch on the right side. On her desk sat a picture frame, it portrayed a very happy Katniss standing next to a blond haired girl, both of them in front of a waterfall. She was dressed similarly to the way she was when she came to the bakery, and it got my mind reeling.

"So Peeta" she started, making me snap my attention back at her and away from the picture. "How do you feel? Any pain, discomfort or anything?"

"Um, not really. In the first couple of days it hurt a little but not anymore."

"Good." She smiled. "And how are you adapting to the crutches?"

"Better than I expected actually." I laughed. "I'm still a little wobbly at times, but I didn't fall yet so I guess that's good."

She chuckled softly and it made my cheeks burn, and my ears go impossibly hotter. I just hopped I wasn't red again.

"And are you still working at the bakery?"

"I, um, yes?" I mumbled

"Peeta!" she said,dropping her pen on the desk. "What did I tell you?"

"You told me to rest… But hear me out." I pleaded. "My dad really needs the help and I spend most of the day out front sitting, I just help prepping and frosting, which I can to sitting down. I don't get tired or feel any pain after working and I don't do what I know I can't."

She pressed her lips together and rested her face on her hands. "If you want to get better you need to rest and not make any effort Peeta. You can't push yourself to extremes, no matter how good the reason might be."

"I'm not pushing myself! I barely do anything. If I just sit around on my ass all day I might lose my mind!" I exclaimed, cringing when I saw the look of surprise on her face. "I'm sorry. I just… ugh." I groaned.

"It's okay. You are frustrated and it's understandable. It would be weird if you weren't." she assured me smiling so genuinely it made my breath hitch in my throat. God, what was with me? A woman smiling left my blood rushing. Well not any woman, _her._

"But you can't let it get the best of you Peeta."

"I know. But I'm fine, really." I reassured her.

"Alright." She held up her hands in defeat. "Now let's check that knee. Can you go over to the exam table? I need to go get something."

"Okay."

I made my way the exam table and sat on it, leaning my back against the wall and sighed. By the rate of which things were going, if a light breeze past by I would probably come undone right then and there. I shook my head trying to clear my thoughts and closed my eyes. I tried to wrap my mind around what was that Katniss had that left me like this. All that I could come up with was that she was just so herself, so effortlessly beautiful, and god, the way she filled those scrubs… No, no, no, let's not go there. It won't help me at all.

When Katniss come back I was already more frustrated then I was when she left. She come to stand beside the exam table while holding a small plastic cylinder with a circular metal on top that looked quite menacing. I never seen anything like that before and had no possible clue as to what she might need that for.

"Okay Peeta, take your pants off."

* * *

><p><strong>Hi.<br>I'm am truly sorry for taking this long, but honestly I don't have writing game anymore and everything I write seems like a big bundle of crap. But I'm trying my best.  
>Also apologies for the way the chapter ended, it's just my thing to leave people frustrated and will post the next chapter as soon as I can. If you'd like to say anything, anything at all, as always in herfathersbow on tumblr, or you could just PM me.<br>Thank you, and I'm sorry.**


	9. Chapter 9

My cheeks burned so much that I was scared they were going to just melt off my face. The feeling in my gut come back in full force, and to make matters worse, her words traveled directly to my crotch, making my dick twitch.

Certainly she didn't just say what I thought she said right? That had to be my brain playing games with me. Very, _very _inappropriate games. I tried to speak but nothing came out. I just sat there, staring at her, with my jaw on the floor and a tightening feeling in the front of my jeans.

Her lips slowly rose and up and the corner and her eyes crinkled. She looked at me with and unreadable expression and I felt my gut tighten even more. Out of nowhere she started laughing. If I was confused before, I was more so now. _What the hell? _One minute she is telling me to take my pants off and in the other she is laughing at my face? On the bright side, it most definitely eradicated the problem I had going on in my pants.

She was laughing so much that she had her hands wrapped around her belly and there were tears in the corner of her eyes. When she looked at the horrified expression in my face she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself, which only worked for about three seconds before she started laughing again. I couldn't do anything more than just stand there and look at her shoulder shaking with laughter and her face slightly red as she dismissively waved her hand at me and took several deep breaths. Once she calmed herself down enough, she straightened her posture and wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. She looked apologetically at me and sighed.

"I'm… I'm so sorry!" she chuckled. "Just, your face! You looked so terrified! Did you think I was going to molest you or something?" I could tell she still had trouble suppressing her laughter and I couldn't help but laugh with her myself.

"No! No, n-nothing like that!" I stuttered, running my sweaty palms down the length of my jeans. "But I mean, you leave and come back with that scary looking thing and tell me to take off my pants, what am I suppose to think?" I joked.

She raised her eyebrows at me and looked at the little instrument is her hand. "Oh! This?" she asked while raising it for me to get a better look. "This is nothing, it's just a saw-"

"A _what_?" I belted, my eyes so wide I was surprised they didn't just pop right out.

"No! No, god." She groaned and closed her eyes sighing deeply. "Um, for your cast, so I can see how your knee is healing and to see if the swelling reduced. God I'm terrible." She chuckled lightly, looking down at her shoes in embarrassment.

"No no no, its fine, you're fine." I reassured her. "But maybe you should start with that next time."

"Right." She smiled somewhat sheepishly, still staring down at her shoes, her cheeks slightly red.

"Wait, why do I need to take my pants off?"

"Because I can't roll them over your cast, um, I mean I can but then I won't be able to work effectively. But if you feel uncomfortable I can just cut the jeans…"

"No, um, it's okay. But, I need… I mean, if you could… Because um, I can't… Um, yeah."

"What?"

"I kinda…need your help to pull them down. I hurt my back changing in, um, in the car."

"Oh. Okay." She stepped closer to the exam table but stopped in her tracks. "Wait. Changing in the car?" she asked, knitting her eyebrows.

"Yes. I … ah… had to change clothes in the car. I was running late." I explained.

"Hm. Interesting." She smirked, already standing next to the exam table.

"What is?"

"Nothing. Never mind. So how do you want to do it?"

"D-do what?"

"Your pants Peeta."

"R-right. I guess I just pull them down until where I can and you pull it all the way out?"

"Okay."

I don't know if it was the fact that I had to be half naked in front of a woman or the fact that woman was Katniss or maybe that I felt a little bit self conscious about myself. It didn't matter what it was really, all that matter was that I was nervous. So nervous I could feel palms sweating and my heart hammering in my chest so loudly I was afraid she might hear it.

Being nervous about something as trivial as taking your pants in a doctor's appointment was stupid. I knew that. She probably had been in these types of situation countless times already; I was nothing special, just another patient. But Katniss wasn't just another doctor, she was something else, I couldn't quite pinpoint what it was but she was different.

I tried to push these thoughts aside and calm down; if I continued this way I would end up making this whole ordeal way more uncomfortable than it had to be. Especially for me.

After I unbuttoned my pants I lifted my butt from the exam table to slide it down my legs, that was when my back started to hurt and I groaned in pain.

"Peeta are you okay?" Katniss asked, preoccupied. She rushed next to me and laid a gentle hand on my back.

" Yeah, I'm fine. My back really hurts though. I don't think I can bend any more than this."

"Okay. I will pull them down."

As Katniss slowly pulled my pants down I started to imagine what it would be like if she did the same but in a different situation. One where I wasn't in a hospital, one where she wasn't my doctor and I didn't have a cast or back pain and I could easily reach her and…

I'm brought back to reality by a sharp buzzing noise and when I look up I see Katniss with a mask and a fixed look on her face. She settled herself on the right side of the exam table with the saw in hand.

"Okay Peeta, I'm going to cut your cast now. You might feel a slight vibration on your leg and maybe some pressure on your knee area. If you feel anything more than that please tell me. Got it?"

"Yeah."

She gave me a reassuring smile that could barely be seen behind the mask and began cutting through the cast. I rested my head on the pillow and stared at ceiling, letting the incessant buzzing of the saw hypnotize me. Katniss was right, I did feel a slight pulsation on my leg, but that wasn't what bothered me. What bothered me was the fact that mind kept repeating the recovery scenarios that could happen, all that could go wrong. Even though my dad and Rye eased my fears, being here now made it real.

My train of thought is disrupted by the loss of the soft humming noise. I lifted my head and saw that the cast was off and Katniss was staring at my knee rather intently. I tried to decipher the look on her face but I came up short. She lifted her head and noticed me staring at her. Feeling ashamed I looked away and glanced at my knee.

It was somewhat normal, except for some minimal swelling. Looking at it now you wouldn't guess something was broken. It gave me a small shred of hope that things might go back to normal after I recover.

"So…" Katniss started, making me direct my attention back at her "I have bad news, and good news. Which one would you like to hear first?"

"Um, the good news I guess…"

"Well, the good news is that the swelling on your knee reduced significantly and it seems to be healing well."

Hearing this made my chest constrict with happiness and relief. Although it didn't last long because no matter how positive the good news was, the bad ones had a tendency to overshadow them.

"And the bad news?"

"The bad news is that I have to bend your leg so I can feel if the patella is healing in the right place."

"Oh." _Oh._ I inhaled, not even realizing I didn't do so since I asked. That's… That's not so bad. Or even bad at all. "And why is that bad news?"

"Okay, I might have exaggerated a little." She chuckled. "It's not bad news per say, but at the same time it is, because it will hurt. Quite a lot."

"I can guarantee it won't as much as it did when I broke it." I joked, managing to get a small smirk from her that made me feel proud of myself. "Go ahead." I said while leaning back on the exam table and resting my head in my arms.

"Hm. We will see what you have to say when I'm actually doing it mister though guy." She said, this time earning a chuckle from me.

"Bring it on." I teased raising my head enough to look her in the eye and give her a mischievous grin.

She responded by quirking one eyebrow up and removing her rubber cloves in two fluid motions, one for each hand. The action made something stir in the pit of my stomach that I choose to ignore, because now I didn't have the help of jeans to hide anything if need be.

Katniss made her way to the right side on the exam table and gingerly placed her hands on either side on my leg and slowly started to hoist it up. The movement wasn't painful, it was just uncomfortable from having to bend it after being stiff for so long. But as soon as the knee started to bend it started to burn, it was a fire that spread until my mid thigh and made me want to growl in pain. I tried my best to keep a straight face and contain the growls to myself, although I could tell from the look on her face that she knew I was in pain. The more she bent my leg the more it burned. When my leg was almost completely bent I couldn't contain it anymore and I hissed. Loudly. She glanced quickly at me and slowly started to bend my leg back down. The fire subsided slowly and a mild tingly sensation took its place.

I took a deep breath and relaxed against the exam table until the tingly sensation disappeared. Once it was gone I lifted myself to a sitting position and realized that Katniss was sitting on a chair in front of me with a roguish expression. I could tell she was holding on a smirk from the way her eyes crinkled and her lips were pursed.

"_Don't." _I threatened. "Don't say anything."

"What? I wasn't going to say anything!" she deadpanned, failing to hide her smirk.

"Yeah right."

After a moment of complete silence between both of us she asked "Can I speak now? I'm still a doctor you know."

"Yes. My apologies Doctor Everdeen." I teased crossing my arms and tried to fake a glowering look.

"Apologies accepted Mr. Mellark. Regarding your knee" she started "it seems to be healing well, and based on what I could feel I think it is good enough for you to use a leg brace instead of a cast."

"R-really?!" I beamed.

"Yes. They are generally easier to manage. You have very limited mobility of your leg, but you can take it off when you shower and it's also more comfortable. But, since you won't have a cast anymore there are certain things you need to do to ensure a good recovery. You need to ice your knee at least two times a day, and whenever you are resting your leg needs to be elevated. Always. "

"That's it?"

"Basically. But then there is also what I told you before about not putting weight in the injured leg and all that. Also even though the cast is gone, you still need to use the crutches. Don't try and walk around without them."

"Yeah of course. But um, and when do we start physical therapy?"

"I'm thinking next week on Tuesday at the same time, if you're okay with that? We won't do much the first few weeks, just moving your leg a little and doing some relaxing on the muscles of your leg so they don't atrophy."

"Seems good, Tuesday it is."

"Great. Okay so this," she said while reaching down to get something in the bureau that was next to the exam table. "is your leg brace."

It was navy blue and about the length of my forearm. It also had a little hole in the middle and four clasps, two on the top and two on the bottom part.

"The hole you see in the middle is where your knee will be supported and the clasps are meant be shut tight enough to ensure full support on the knee but not tight enough that the blood stops flowing on your leg." She explained. "This is not a full leg brace as you can see; it goes from about your mid tight to just a little past your calves. There are no big cautions to be taken while wearing one, except for the not clasping it too tight part."

She handed it to me for what I thought was meant for me to put it on, but just as I started to bend forward so I could secure around my knee she stopped me.

"I just wanted you to feel it for a bit. I'll do that." She smiled.

"Katniss, you won't be home to do it for me you know." I said smugly.

"I am aware." She responded with a faint rosiness in her cheeks. "But with your back hurting and all I rather do it for you now."

"Thank you." I smiled.

Gently but firmly she lifted my leg from the exam table high enough so she could place the leg brace underneath it and secure the clasps on top.

"And there you have it. All done. You're free to go." She cheered.

"Alright see you next week then Katniss."

"See you next week Peeta." She said with a smile so warm it spread a warm feeling through my chest. And it reminded me that I need to get away from her as soon as possible before my brain returned to the fidgety state it always seemed to be when around her.

I grabbed both of my crutches and started to make my away to the door. It was much easier to walk without the weight of the cast, and it resulted in not having to use as much strength in my arms.

"Peeta!" Katniss shouted just as I was about to reach for the doorknob. I turned around to face her and saw her laughing and holding my jeans out in front of her, waggling them in the air. "Forgot something?"

Only then did I realize that I was standing in her office with a shirt, shoes but no pants. I could only imagine how ridiculous I must be looking. Awkwardly, I made my way back to the exam table, sat on it and put my pants back on.

"Thanks." I mumbled. "That would've been really embarrassing." I joked.

"Embarrassing maybe, but I'm sure you'd make a lot of people happy." She grinned playfully.

"At least I made you happy then." Shit. Why did I say that? It sounded so much better in my head. I needed to leave before I embarrass myself even further.

She raised her eyebrows and looked shocked for a second, but that was quickly replaced by a crooked smile and a soft laugh.

"That you did Peeta." She laughed. "See you next week."

With that I left her office after mumbling a 'see ya' and sat down in one of the chairs by the reception and sighed. _Way to go Peeta, if you were hopping not to look like a complete tool, that's not how you do it,_ I thought as I fished my phone out of my pocket to call Rye. As soon and the phone started ringing he stepped out of the elevator.

"Hey there Peet, good to go?" he said as he made his way to meet me.

"Yeah. Did you find Rue?"

"Sadly it was her day off."

"And what did you do instead?" I asked as we walked to the elevator.

"Went to the cafeteria to grab bite to eat. Hospital food?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

"About as bad as everyone says it is, even in the cafeteria."

As soon as we got home Rye said goodbye to dad and went home. Francine was already helping dad prep for tomorrow so I decided to go upstairs and take a shower. It was way easier being able to remove the leg brace and not needing to worry about getting the cast wet. As soon as I got in the shower I turned on the hot water and let the hot streams soothe the muscles in my back. I stood there with my hands pressed against the wall and the hot water pouring on me, not thinking about anything for a long time. But soon enough the events of today start looping around my mind and I couldn't help but cringe.

The day started badly and gradually got worse as it went on, the worst when I forgot to put my pants back on and saying something so dumb I can't fathom where the hell it came from. Though looking back on it, it could've been worse, a lot worse.

If things with Katniss - _Dr. Everdeen, _I chastise myself - kept going the way things have so far, sooner or later I might do something regrettably stupid. Like falling for her, asking her out and then being shut down. I needed to do something, and fast.

* * *

><p><strong>Ooops... How long did it take? Three months, eh almost four. Okay so I apologize for taking so long, I could say it was school but truth is that is wasn't, I am just a lazy ass who runs from responsibilities and things I need to get done. I'm working on this issue tho.<br>About this chapter: I love making awkward situation even more awkward yey! Peeta thinks he needs to do something before he falls for Katniss, I on the other hand do not agree.  
><strong>**-Next chapter: A friend comes to say hi, a surprise guest comes along, and Peeta goes out for drinks and helps his rambling friend make a life changing decision.**

**Special thanks to Gabby for being my beta and helping me get my ideas in place.**


	10. Chapter 10

It started off as a loose sketch, as a way to pass the time given the slow flow of customers we were having today. But slowly it started to become something else; the sketch gained a braid, a smile, tanned skin, scrubs and before I knew it, I had drawn Katniss. I didn't even notice it happening; the pencil just traveled freely through the paper, creating more and more details.

When I finally stopped sketching and looked at what I drew I was taken aback by it. My first instinct was to throw it away or to erase the whole thing, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. It looked way too much like her, and how she looked when I first saw her. It reminded me of how beautiful her smile was, and _how I really needed to stop thinking about her goddamit. _It had become a common thing - it didn't matter what I was doing or what I was thinking about, somehow she always made an appearance in mind, smiling, laughing, helping me with the leg brace, removing my pants… But the real question was why? Why couldn't I get Katniss out of my head?

I decided to fold the paper and hide it away in my pocket, and just as I did so the bell on top of the door ringed, signaling a new customer.

"How's it hangin' boy?" a familiar voice asked.

Haymitch walked lazily to the counter, dressed in his out-of-work clothes, trailed by a girl I faintly recognized, but couldn't exactly remember from where.

"Haymitch, hey! I'm doing okay. What brings you here?"

He leaned against the counter and focused his gaze on the cake display and grumbled, "What? Can't a man crave some pastries without being judged?"

"Sure." I laughed. "What can I get you then?"

"Get me something with some fillin' inside."

"Alright. Who is your friend?" I asked while placing some éclairs in the take out bag.

"Er' name is Kelly." He said as she stepped up from behind him and looked at me somewhat sheepishly.

I froze realizing where I knew her from. Although the memories from that night were a little foggy, and it was hard to see through the smoked it was clearly her, asking for help, frightened and fearing for her life. Seeing her now, knowing that she was alive and well and that I helped get out of that burning building, made me feel extremely happy. It made me realize that even though I got hurt in the process, if I was to repeat the same situation I wouldn't change a thing. Because that's what firefighters do - they save people, no matter the cost.

"H-hi Peeta." She greeted, staring at the ground as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"Hi Kelly. It's great to see you. You look well," I greeted.

She nodded, with her gaze still fixed on the floor. "I wouldn't be if it weren't for you though." Finally she raised her eyes to look at me and they were filled with so much admiration I was dumbfounded for a second.

"Thank you so much for saving my life Peeta." She added.

"You don't need to thank me Kelly. I was just doing my job." Although the words I spoke were true and sincere, she still looked ashamed, as if she had done some unthinkable thing and she deserved to be punished. Her postured sagged even more when she noticed my crutches resting against the chair in front of the register.

"Yeah. But because of me you can't do your job anymore." She whispered, her voice trembling a bit.

I looked at Haymitch for help but he just shrugged and grabbed the take out bag, shoving an éclair in his mouth.

"I'm so so so sorry Peeta," She blurted suddenly. "It's all my fault, what happened to you, the warehouse, everything! If only I hadn't-"

"Hey now, don't go there." I interrupted her, letting my hand come to rest on top of her fidgeting one that was sprawled on the counter. She froze for a second and bowed her head, her shoulders slumped and I could hear her sniffling softly.

"What happened to me wasn't your fault. No one blames you for what happened and you shouldn't either. Sometimes our actions have consequences that are beyond our control, but even so, no good is going to come of you beating yourself over it. I'm okay, you're okay, your friends are okay, and that's all that matters."

"Yeah." She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and nodded. When she finally raised her head to look at me, her damp eyes had a cheerful glint in them. "You're right. I'm sorry for being such a pain I just… I don't know." She chuckled sheepishly.

"You were definitely not a pain, I'm really glad you stopped by." I replied, smiling.

"I went to the fire station and asked Haymitch to call me if he ever came to visit." She added, her cheeks lightly tinged with pink.

"Girl seemed really anxious 'bout it so I thought why the hell not?" Haymitch added after he devoured the last of the éclairs.

"Well, now that you know where to find me, feel free to come by any time."

"S-sure. But I, um, have to head home now. I'm still kind of grounded. It was good to see you Peeta. And thank you so much Haymitch." She smiled to the both of us, already making her way to the exit.

We waved and watched her leave. Once she had disappeared down the street Haymitch retrieved a flask from the pocket of his pants and took a generous sip. He looked somewhat relieved after he placed the flask on his pocket once again, as if something had been tormenting him all this time and the only thing that could ease it off was the amber liquid that the flask contained. But I knew better than to comment on it, so instead I asked how things were going in the firestation.

"Well for starters, this new kid came in, his name is Marvel, and boy, if you thought Cato was bad wait until you see this one." He scoffed.

"Why? What's wrong with him?"

"Nothing is _wrong _with him exactly. He is decent when it comes to the job, but he has an attitude problem that only some good ol' smacking will fix. And somehow he became Cato's very own personal lap dog. Speaking of which he's now paired up with Thom."

"Oh no. No good will come from that! They hate each other's guts!" I exclaimed. "Who had that brilliant idea?"

"Don't look at me! It came from the boss herself. She thought it would help their relationship if they worked together and depended on each other."

"And is how is that working?" I asked with a smirk.

"They only threatened to kill the other six times, so I guess so far so good." Haymitch chuckled.

"What about Cato and Clove?"

He snorted. "Those two? They are like two cats in heat, although since people have been complaining for a while, Effie has been extremely careful when making the schedules so they aren't called in on the same day. She also decided to make Thresh the Commander in Chief's assistant. And boy, am I grateful for that! He makes my job of Commander so easy! But he is doing such a good job I'm starting to fear for my position." He chuckled.

Haymitch left a little after that, wishing me good luck and asking me to pass by the firehouse one of these days, saying the crew missed me and were wondering how I was. I promised I would pay them a visit as soon as I was off the crutches.

We only had a couple of customers after that and Dad decided we could close earlier today. I agreed in a heartbeat, longing to just sit on the couch and do nothing, accompanied by some pizza and a beer. But my plans were cut short when my phone started ringing.

"Hello?"

"_Hey there Peet. How's it going?"_

"Finnick hi. I'm good, how are you?"

"_I'm great! But I'm missing my best friend, so how about we go catch up in a bar later?" _

"I, um, I'm not sure. I still can't drive so…"

"_It's not a problem; I'll pick you up at 8. See ya!"_

"Wait no! Finnick-"

_Ah crap._ It's not that I didn't want to hang out with Finnick; I wanted to hang out with him, but it was the prospect of having to go out in public that I wasn't so fond of. Ever since I got injured the only time I left the house was to go the hospital, so to say that my social skills were currently lacking was a big understatement.

Almost everyone that has known me since my teen years would describe me as a charming social butterfly. In truth I was one, but only because I found that charming the pants off everyone around me was the best way to remedy my social anxiety. Being a chubby kid and having a mother whose terms of endearment included "piggy" and "fudgy the whale" did that to you I guess. So I was more than happy to stay secluded, hidden away in the bakery, not having to waste my energy trying to make conversation. But ultimately I knew it would not last long.

Resigning myself to the fact that Finnick wouldn't take no for an answer no matter what I said, I bid farewell to the couch and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower. While the water coursed through my body I had to fight away the fleeting images of Katniss that roamed my mind. Easier said than done.

As I lathered myself up with soap I accidentally grazed my cock, hissing through my teeth as it hardened. It was already at half mast, no matter how much I tried the fight the images of Katniss that kept popping up, they began to invade my mind. But no matter what, I wasn't going to repeat the incident from last week, no matter how much I ached to release myself. So I turned the water to the coldest possible and tried to think about something else and ended up reciting a snickerdoodle recipe in my head.

It did the trick.

As soon as all the soap washed away and disappeared down the drain I stepped out of the shower, put my leg brace on and wrapped a towel on my middle.

When I passed by the living room to go to my room I noticed that dad was dozing off in the couch and that he didn't even bother changing from his work clothes. I thought about waking him up and ushering him to his bed, but decided against it knowing that he would only deny that he was sleeping and run off to the kitchen to make dinner.

I got dressed quickly, throwing on a pair of jeans and grey t-shirt that I brought with me when Rye drove to my place last week. As much as I missed my apartment I had to admit that these weeks that I spent in dad's house were not so bad, especially since mom isn't here.

When I went back to the living room dad was already awake and shuffling through TV channels while nursing a beer.

"Going somewhere kiddo?" he asked when he saw me approaching the couch.

"Uh, yeah, Finnick wanted to hang out so…" I said plopping down on the couch next to him.

"Ah that's good. You didn't go out once since you've been here. It's nice to see you getting back out there." He said, patting my leg.

"I don't really feel like going though."

He shot me a concerned look. "Why not?

"I don't know, I'd just rather stay at home watching TV on the couch." At this he started laughing and shaking his head. "What?" I asked defensively.

"Nothing!" he sighed, "You just sound a hell a lot like me! And I'm middle aged!"

"So?"

"Ah c'mon Peet. You're young! Go out with your friends, have some fun! You will have plenty of time to stay at home glued to the couch when you're older."

And as if on cue my phone started vibrating in my pocket and someone was honking outside. I sighed and got out of the couch while dad smiled happily at me. Once I reached the door I heard him call out, "Have fun!"

"Sure thing!" I replied, already making my way out the door.

Finnick was in his car on the other side of the street, when he saw me he honked three times with a wide grin and I found myself grinning back. As I approached the car I could faintly hear the melody of 'Hooked on a Feeling' blaring through the air. Finnick opened the door for me and I sat down, sighing as I did so. He turned the music down and twisted in his seat to face me, his face split by a shit eating grin.

"What are you so happy about?" I asked.

"What makes you think I'm happy?" He asked, his grin growing impossibly wider.

"Well, for starters, you are listening to 'Hooked on a Feeling', that's like your go-to song when you're happy." He chuckled a little and nodded his agreement. I continued, "And secondly you won't stop smiling."

"Okay you got me." He chuckled. "Would you believe me if I told you it's because we are hanging out?"

I snorted. "No."

He laughed again and threw his hands up in surrender. "Alright don't believe me! Let's just drop the subject shall we? You ready for an awesome time?"

"Where are you going anyway? You didn't give me a chance to ask on the phone." _Or to deny the invitation._

"Just Sae's."

"Alright. Let's go then."

…

Sae's was a small hole in the wall dive bar that Finnick and I used to go to during college, and now we had a habit of going coming here whenever we wanted to hang out somewhere with a homey atmosphere and cheap drinks. But tonight I think Finnick brought us here solely for my benefit. And I couldn't be more thankful.

The bar was dimly lit by a row of lamps that casted a yellow glow that reflected on the worn leather booths, and empty save for a couple of middle aged men bantering, one of them almost falling off the stools in front of the bar station. We sat down in our usual booth, next to window that overlooked the street and gave us a faint view of the city skyline.

Sae saw us from her spot behind the bar, smiled and made her way to our booth. Sae was not much older than 60, and from what I knew she had no kids and lived alone. And maybe for that reason she treated Finnick and I with extra care, seeing we were the youngest clients she had.

"Hey boys! Haven't seen ya in a while."

"Hey Sae, yeah we have been busy." Finnick said pointing at my crutches.

"Peeta! What happened?"she gasped.

"Minor work injury." I shrugged.

"Oh dear. Are you okay though?"

"Yeah. Don't worry Sae, I'm going to be here for a long time." I chuckled.

"Well I hope both of you do!" she laughed and ruffled both of our heads. "What can I get you boys tonight then?"

I looked at Finnick, and he shrugged. "The usual." He said.

Sae nodded and went to get our drinks. Finnick leaned back and sighed contently resting his hands behind his back, a slight smirk on his face.

"You look extremely content with yourself." I noted. "May I ask why?"

"Why, the answer is quite simple Peeta," he said in a mocking tone, "I look content, because I am content."

Before I could ask anything else Sae was placing our drinks on the table. I smiled and thanked her. She nodded, told us to enjoy ourselves and made her way back behind the bar.

Finnick raised his beer bottle at me and I did the same, clinging my bottle against his.

"Cheers!" he smirked.

"Cheers." I mumbled back, taking a swing from my drink, letting the cold amber liquid slid down my throat with a mild tingle.

"Peeta, I have to be honest with you," he said after a moment, his face suddenly etched into an intent expression. "I didn't call you out tonight just because I wanted to hang out."

"Yeah," I snorted, "No shit." He laughed a little, and his face became somewhat apologetic. "Why _did _ you call me then?"

"I called you because we have been friend for as long as I can remember and I wanted you to be the first to know."

"Know what?"

"I'm thinking, and am almost sure; I'm going to ask Annie to marry me!" He beamed.

"Shit, Finn! That's great!" I laughed. "When did you decide this?"

"A few days before your, uh, accident. And I have been holding myself to wait to tell you until you felt better, but I just couldn't wait anymore because I really need your advice."

"My advice on what?"

"On whether you think I should do it, or if I'm rushing into to things. You know me Peeta, I have a tendency of getting overly excited about things and making hasty decisions. I really don't want to fuck this up."

I tried to suppress my laughter by taking another dip of my beer but ended up laughing harder and spitting it out.

"What just happened?" Finnick asked startled.

"Oh man, you don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

"What you did on our first college party?"

"I don't remember shit from that party. What did I do?"

"Well it was the longest you and Annie had been separated from each other and you wanted to forget it for a while so you drank. A lot. So about halfway through the party you came rushing to me saying we had to leave because you did something bad. I took you back to your room and asked what happened. You said that you were flirting with this chick all night and then when she leaned in to kiss you, you realized it wasn't Annie. I swear you almost went berserk just talking about it. You started crying and saying that if when you finished college you and Annie were still together you would marry her as soon as possible."

Finnick stared at me with a blank expression for a while, taking in the newfound information. "I-I said that?"

"Yeah." I chuckled at his dumbfounded expression. "Don't know what took you so long."

"So… You are saying I should marry her?"

"No. I'm saying you should run with a stripper and a start new life gambling in Vegas - Of course I'm saying you should marry her, Finn! You've been practically married since high school anyway." I deadpanned.

"That's sorta true." He chuckled.

"You and me both know that there is no one else besides Annie that can deal with your shit."

"Well… There's you." He smirked.

"Yeah. But you won't see me marrying you any time soon."

Finnick laughed louder this time, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye. "Peeta Mellark, you truly know what to say to convince a man. Which is why I am here by declaring you my best man. And note that I am not asking you because you have no choice."

"If I had a choice it wouldn't be Finnick Odair asking me now would it?"

"No, it would not."

He raised his beer one more time and we toasted to the new chapter that was about to begin. We toasted to his life and to our friendship.

…

I got home somewhat around three am, the alcohol in me making the stairs seem three times as long. By the time I got to the top floor I was panting and sweat had started to form on my brow.

Dad was nowhere to be seen, probably dozing off in his room until it was time to get up and prepare the bakery for another days work.

I tried my best to keep quiet as I made my way to my room but both the floorboards and my crutches weren't helping me much. When I got to my room and closed the door behind me I sighed in relief. After sitting down on my bed I tossed the crutches to the floor and stripped down to my boxers and laid down. I thought about going to the bathroom and brushing my teeth but it just didn't seem worth getting back up. So I closed my eyes and started to drift slowly to sleep.

Until a thought hit me making me startle. Tomorrow I had physical therapy.

* * *

><p><strong>Happy New Year everyone! I wish that 2015 is good to you in ways that 2014 was not and that you succeed in your ventures throughout the year.<strong>

**I would like to apologize once more for the delay in this chapter, I have no excuses seeing as I have been in holidays since July, and also for the lack of everlark in said chapter. But, I promise that next chapter will have everlark interaction (though not the kind you expect yet) and I will try to make an effort to update more often.**

**As always I would like to thank my lovely beta Gabby (peetaseverdeen on tumblr) for always urging me forward when I felt like quitting and for doing such a great work.**

**If there is anything you would like to say to me just PM or visit me on tumblr, I'm herfathersbow. Reviews are always greatly appreciated!**

**Have a fantastic year!**


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